Repercussion
by Onisius
Summary: Jarod is back in the Centre... what will the repercussions be? Chap 20 is up.. Thanks.
1. A sight made for the gods alone

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters or related topics. I'm just messing around with them. I promise not to break them and I'll put them back where I found them when Im done.  
  
Authors note: This is the sequel to Mile High Club. You might want to read it first, but you don't really need to. Thanks to Maestra and Giton for all your help. I welcome any feedback. As they say, the good comes with the bad. Oh, I did have dreams/nightmares in bold, but I can't upload it like that. So now dreams/nightmares will be indicated with %% at the start and finish.  
  
THE CENTRE  
  
BLUE COVE, DELAWARE  
  
"Broots, please tell me you've got something? Anything?" Miss Parker asked, somewhat kindly, as she paced the Tech lab.  
  
"Sorry M-Miss Parker, nothing. You'd think Jarod would be showing off to us, considering he escaped your custody.again." Broots added the last word on in a soft, exasperated tone.  
  
Miss Parker heard his last comment, but was to tried to say anything.  
  
It had been two months since she had let Wonder-boy go. *I wouldn't blame him for not talking to me, after what I did to him.* She let out a sad sigh. No clues, no midnight phone calls, no little packages that blew up in her face. Nothing, zip, nada. Miss Parker was still in 'time out' from the escape. Her father's punishment, seclusion, no 'Good-morning Angel', 'Any news on Jarod?', 'Stay out of this Angel, it doesn't concern you.' Nothing. She was being completely ignored.  
  
Sometimes she imagined that he knew her dirty little secret. That someone had seen her and Jarod have sex. But her father would be doing more than not talking to her.  
  
*What am I going to do? If I don't find a lead on Jarod soon, our lives will be in danger. What good are a Huntress, a Shrink and a Techie, if they can't do their jobs? Maybe I was to hard on him? Maybe I shouldn't have said the things I said? NO, wait. I had to say the things I said, to stay safe. If I had let genius think that there was even the slightest hint of feelings between us, I would have been doomed.*  
  
"Miss Parker, Miss Parker, are you alright?"  
  
Miss Parker came back to the world of the living dead. (Meaning them, if they didn't find Jarod.)  
  
"Mm, what?"  
  
"Are you alright Miss Parker?"  
  
"Fine," She snapped a little to harshly. "What did you want?"  
  
"I - um, I found Jarod."  
  
Miss Parker's head shot up to read the computer screen.  
  
######  
  
SORRENTO, MAINE  
  
"Now are you going to tell me the truth Dickson?"  
  
"Go to hell Jarod!!" Dickson yelled.  
  
"Been there, done that." Jarod replied causally.  
  
"What do you want from me?"  
  
"Other than the truth?" Jarod raised his eyebrows, "Nothing."  
  
Jarod had pretended to be a receptionist at a law firm. Apparently Dickson, the lawyer, had been purposely losing certain cases to get a substantial deposit from the other side.  
  
Jarod decided to get Dickson to the roof of their law firm, and just simply hold a gun on the man. He was starting to get over the whole revenge on a grand scale thing.  
  
After a moment of silence, Jarod cocked the gun.  
  
"Fine, have it your way."  
  
Jarod fired a shot, hitting Dickson in his thigh, narrowly missing the femoral artery.  
  
"Shall we try this again?" Jarod asked, raising an eyebrow, aiming the gun a little higher.  
  
"Alright, alright!" Dickson yelled, "I took money from the other firms to lose the cases. Alright I said it, put that god-damn gun away!"  
  
Jarod threw a pair of handcuffs at the bleeding man. With shaking hands, and a deep breath, Dickson cuffed his wrist to a pipe running along the roof.  
  
"The cops should be here" Jarod stoped in mid-sentence. Tilting his head to the side, he heard the sirens of the squad cars approaching. With a satisfied smile, Jarod glared at the scared man as the ambulance came to a screaming halt. The pretender leaned over the edge of the law firm, to see the officers and paramedics quickly enter the busy building. With eyes cold enough to freeze Hell it self, Jarod turned back to Dickson, "Now."  
  
With that said and done Jarod left the roof. Un-aware of the figure watching him leave.  
  
#######  
  
%%%%%%%% Straps were tightened across his chest, restricting his heavy breathing. The smell in the air, god it smelt so good. Sweat, perfume and.sex.  
  
"You can now consider your self an official member of the very exclusive Mile High Club." The flushed, slightly messed up Parker had purred into his ear.  
  
"Then why am I back in this chair?" He just had to go and brake the magical mood.  
  
"Hello, genius you in there?" Her anger was starting to show.  
  
"If I let you go- one, it would be useless as we are in a plane full of idiotic sweepers and well above the ground. And two, don't you think they'll know it was me?"  
  
"Well, with the both of us we can take over the plane and leave the Centre behind us." Jarod had suggested hopefully, but as always, she had to go and insult him.  
  
"Oh Jarod, don't be so naive, I will give you a chance to escape when we land, that's it. If you don't do it then. well you're stuck at the Centre forever."  
  
The scene changed from the compartment he was strapped in, to him being handcuffed and dragged down the steps.  
  
Hands were all over him, he hated that feeling. Sweepers gripping his arms on either side, Parker holding a gun to his back with a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I'm not a criminal." He had said, anger pouring out of his mouth.  
  
"Well, you're soon to be locked up like one, Lab-rat." She had hissed back at him.  
  
The pain he felt at her remarks was beyond describing. Why did she have to be so mean to him?  
  
He had seen something shining on the ground three meters in front of him. After a few more steps Parker had pushed him hard, hard enough to go tumbling down to the ground.  
  
"Get moving freak, I want to be back at the Centre ASAP!"  
  
The town car was about fifteen minutes into the drive when it came to a stop.  
  
She had let out a sigh, of relief or anger, he wasn't quite sure.  
  
Parker shot a look at him, knowing he had a paperclip in his hands, then got out of the car to go and find out what was happening.  
  
"What do you mean we are out of gas you moron! It should of been filled before you picked us up!" Was shouted to let him know that this was now up to him.  
  
The freedom he felt when he had managed to get the cuffs of was extraordinary. He had peeked out of the window to see Miss Parker on the phone to the Centre telling them that they were ten more minutes away and to send another car. The door was pulled open just as he went to creep out. Sam stood there.  
  
Fear, panic and dread flooded him. How was he meant to get away with the Sweeper towering over him. The uncuffed Pretender stared up in awe at the man, as he stepped aside and went to join the other Sweepers, distracting them.  
  
"Go get the freak and keep him under guard." She ordered the Sweepers.  
  
"What do you mean he's gone? Find him, you idiots!!'  
  
He could hear her shouting even as he ran further into the woods.  
  
All he felt was terror and adrenaline as he pushed his body beyond its limits. The pain in his legs only making him go further.  
  
Gunshots! Lots of gunshots.  
  
God, they we were closing in on him!! He let out a whimper of pain as a bullet tore through his flesh. Clutching his shoulder he ran faster than he thought humanly possible.  
  
Pain was shooting all through him as he tumbled to the ground, slicing his hands on a sharp stick. He froze when he heard foot steps behind him. He slowly turned and looked up to find Sam towering down at him.  
  
"Anything there boss?!" Was shouted in their direction.  
  
"No! Go back to Miss Parker for further orders!" Was shouted back.  
  
The bulky Sweeper bent over him and pulled him up by his dirty and torn pilot uniform.  
  
"Stay away from her! If I find out you slept with her again I will personally drag your sorry ass to Raines himself. Am I understood?"  
  
Sam might as well have just slapped him across the face with that comment.  
  
A little to afraid to ask, but he did any way.  
  
"How-how did y-you know?" He stuttered un-characteristically  
  
"The jets are now equipped with surveillance since your last escape. I have the only copy you'll find on or off the computers. Go! And stay away from her, I mean it, I will not hesitate to make good on my threat!" Sam whispered harshly.  
  
"W-why?"  
  
"I don't want Mr Lyle or Raines to torture you and find out."  
  
With that said, he was pushed back to the ground roughly, only to watch the Sweeper leave.  
  
"Stay away from her." Sam tossed over his should as he walked away from the frightened pretender.  
  
He had tried to stand and keep moving but he hadn't slept for nearly 48 hours. Combine that with the blood loss and the utter exhaustion, mental and physical, he couldn't go anywhere.  
  
He was so tired, overwhelmed and confused, with no energy left, he succumbed to the exhaustion and blacked out.  
  
%%%%%  
  
#######  
  
Jarod woke up breathing heavily. He always had the same nightmare, ever since the day he escaped.  
  
Well, closer to being let go. He knew that it was Miss Parker that had dropped the paperclip. She had also pushed him to the ground purposely, so he could pick it up. But Sam, still it amazed him that he had let him go. If it wasn't for Sam's loyalty and protectiveness towards Miss Parker, he would be back in hell.  
  
Jarod got up out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash his face. It was 3:30 am, he couldn't go back to sleep now. So Jarod decide to make some coffee and start to pack.  
  
He really had no need to leave so soon as the Centre had no way of finding him, but there was nothing left here for him.  
  
######  
  
Miss Parker had left an hour after Broots had told her where to find the missing pretender. After landing on the Centre's personal air strip, she had meet with a Sweeper who gave her, her car.  
  
They had found out that Jarod was working at a law firm called Dickson and Sedgwick. Jarod was operating under the name of Jarod Cordy.  
  
When she arrived at the law firm and asked to speak with 'Mr Cordy', she was told that he was last seen heading to the roof after Mr Dickson. So she followed, hoping to catch Jarod before he left. Instead she had seen a very disturbing scene  
  
#######  
  
Miss Parker wasn't prepared to see Jarod holding Mr Dickson at gunpoint, or for him to shoot the other man. He seemed so calm about it, so comfortable with shooting Dickson, it scared her. What happened to the caring Jarod they knew would not hurt someone intentionally. Unless in self-defence?  
  
Once Jarod had the other man cuffed and called the police, he left, with Parker following.  
  
It was knock-off time, almost everyone was leaving, Jarod followed the crowd exiting the building, discreetly disposing of the used fire arm in a rubbish bin along the way. Miss Parker used this to her advantage, weaving in and out of the workers, always hiding her face.  
  
Jarod managed to get past the officers there to arrest Dickson, and walked out on to the street. Parker followed the pretender, keeping to the shadows of the slowly setting sun.  
  
Jarod had gotten into a dark navy blue Ford Focus, neatly pulling from the curb, he hadn't noticed Miss Parker pull out after him.  
  
Miss Parker had to be careful following him. She had decided to drive her car which she only used occasionally. She loved her dark forest green Boxter, she would only use it for special occasions, she hadn't seen to many around since she brought hers. Miss parkers theory was that, as it isn't a popular choice of car, if Jarod was paying attention, he would of seen her sticking out like a sore thumb. Therefore she kept three cars behind, sometimes two, and followed him to his lair. Jarod surprised her yet again when, instead of leaving straight away as usual, he went to bed.  
  
*What's with him, is he on drugs or something?* Miss Parker pushed that thought away instantly. Jarod would never voluntarily take drugs, not since they forced the drug testing on him when he was a kid.  
  
She stayed away for a few hours, until she knew he was asleep.  
  
Ever so quietly, she picked the lock and let herself in. Miss Parker knew Jarod was a very light sleeper, when he did sleep.  
  
She crept into Jarod's room and stood at the foot of his bed, just watching him sleep. Jarod was tossing and turning a bit, enough to let Miss Parker know, he was dreaming something not to pleasant.  
  
"I'm not a criminal." She heard him whisper and knew exactly what he was dreaming about.  
  
Jarod's breathing quickened and sweat started to drip down his face. Miss Parker saw Jarod clench his shoulder and a pained look sweep his features.  
  
*So that's where James shot him.*  
  
Miss Parker knew he would wake soon so she left his room, and went to wait in the lounge room.  
  
She didn't have to wait too long. Parker could hear the water in the bathroom running, then footsteps to the kitchen.  
  
#######  
  
Jarod trudged into the kitchen to prepare some strong coffee. Dressed in only his Calvin Klein hipster trunks, Jarod was a sight made for the gods alone. He still had sweat on his chest and back from his nightmare, making him look as if he had just finished working out. His underwear sat snug against him, showing off all that was needed for a vivid fantasy. Jarods trunks sat just at the start of his hips, showing off some of his V and his snail trail.  
  
He had just poured himself a cup, when he heard the all to familiar sound of the safety being clicked off.  
  
Slowly, Jarod turned around to be meet by a smiling, armed Miss Parker.  
  
TBC. 


	2. Not so good morning

Disclaimer: See chapter one.  
  
Authors Note: Thanks to Maestra and Jaccione for all your help. I welcome any feedback. As they say, the good comes with the bad.  
  
rougewriter04, Anne ( ). Thank you for taking you time to R&R, and as you have asked, I have updated it for you guys. I hope you enjoy. Oh, and rougerwriter04, can you please update Mary Kat. *smiles*  
  
Rem-cycle. Thanks a bunch Claire! I'm glad you like it, I didn't want the escape to be to easy. Your right about Sam, it was a bit weird, but you learn more about it later. I can't wait for more chap's of The things that turns heads.  
  
Jaccione. Just to let you know, no J's moral compass isn't slipping. What happened on the plane was a bit to much, and he was VERY tired. Keep up the wonderful work your doing with Entropy. Loving it! *smiles*  
  
Chapter Two.  
  
Jarod slowly, carefully turned around. There, in front of him, stood Miss Parker with her 9 mm aimed at his bare chest. She wore her own version of his gotcha grin.  
  
'Damn, he's fine! What does he do? Lift trucks for a living?' Miss Parker mentally shook her head. Now was not the time to be admiring his physique, no matter how damn delicious it might be.  
  
"Good morning Jarod." Miss Parker greeted with a somewhat bored tone.  
  
"Miss Parker." Jarod nodded his head in response. "What brings you to Maine this fine morning?"  
  
"Why, to cart your sorry ass back home."  
  
"That is not my home!" Jarod said, raising his voice a little higher, letting out some of his anger.  
  
"Of course it is Lab-rat, you've spent nearly all of your life there and now you'll be spending the rest in Hell as well." Miss Parker replied back, she was now truly bored with him.  
  
"Turn around and put your hands on your head. Fingers laced."  
  
Jarod stood still, he was not going back there.  
  
Miss Parker took notice of his reluctance to do as she told him, so she thought an incentive was in order. Out of her coat pocket, she pulled a silencer. After lowering her gun slightly and screwing it on, taking off the safety, she aimed the gun back at his chest.  
  
"Don't you think I wouldn't shoot you if I had too?"  
  
"You've never shot me before."  
  
"Well lets keep it that way shall we? Now turn around and put your hands on your head!" Miss Parker was starting to lose her patience.  
  
Jarod heard the whoosh of the bullet and felt the air pushed against his face, as the bullet flew by and slammed into the wall. He turned around slightly to look at the tiled wall of the kitchen. Sure enough, he hadn't imagined the bullet. The tiles had a spider web around the small bullet hole.  
  
Jarod decided not to push her. They were both tired, he hadn't slept much because of the nightmares, and her because he knew she hadn't slept since yesterday morning.  
  
He turned around slowly and put his hands on his head. On the bench in front of him was his steaming hot coffee. He would give anything just to have a sip.  
  
Jarod felt the cold metal of the cuff around his right wrist. His arms were roughly pulled down as she cuffed his left wrist. Jarod slowly turned around to face his captor again.  
  
"Please Miss Parker, I ." Jarod began, he hated to beg, but he couldn't face what would be waiting back at the Centre for him.  
  
"No Jarod, don't. Did I not warn you the last time we meet, that I would not let you go again?"  
  
"Please."  
  
"No. I will not even discuss this. You belong there, not out here, your their science experiment, nothing more. You'll never be anything but their precious Lab-rat so get it through that head of yours." Miss Parker hissed cruelly, "Now sit your sorry ass down!"  
  
"I am not their science experiment any more!" The look in Jarods eyes was murderous, "I am a human being. I have feelings, despite what you people may think. I don't belong in the sub-levels of the Centre, I belong out here, helping people! I belong with my family, I deserve a life" Jarod seethed,  
  
"Can't you understand that Miss Parker? Can't you understand that I just want to be loved, that I want to be free, that I want a family? Is it to hard to comprehend that I just want to be normal, to live my own life? Don't you remember when we were children, you once said that we all deserve to be happy and loved?" The anger had dissipated and left only a heart breaking sadness  
  
#######  
  
"Jarod, are you in here?" Young Miss Parker asked as she stuck her head into his small room.  
  
"Miss Parker?" Jarod asked as he sat up on his bed and wiped away his tears.  
  
This didn't go unnoticed by the young girl.  
  
"Jarod what's the matter, why were you crying?" The concern was evident in her voice.  
  
"I wasn't, I was just." Jarod looked up at Parker and saw the concern and love she had for him in her eyes.  
  
"I miss my family, I can't even remember what they look like! What did I do to them that was so bad, that they would send me away to live here? I can't remember who I am or who they are?"  
  
Miss Parker hugged the crying boy.  
  
"Shhh, it's okay."  
  
"No its not," Jarod had said, pushing away from her, "I don't deserve your love or sympathy. I don't deserve to be happy ever!! I did something really bad to be sent here, I don't deserve anything!" Jarod yelled.  
  
"Now Jarod, you listen to me! Everyone deserves to be happy and loved. It doesn't matter what you think you did, I will always make sure you're happy and loved."  
  
"Thank you Miss Parker."  
  
#######  
  
"Jarod, I'm not that little girl any more. I grew up, I returned to reality. Now sit down."  
  
The Pretender lowered his head in defeat and slowly walked over to the couch in the lounge room. Miss Parker followed and sat across from him in the chair, her gun never leaving it's target.  
  
"Why were you crying that day? What happened to you, to make you think that you had been bad enough to be sent to the Centre?"  
  
Jarod let out an exhausted sigh and shook his head.  
  
"And why would you care Miss Parker?" Jarod asked sadly  
  
'He's so sad, so depressed.' Miss Parker couldn't help but to notice how sad he was, but that wouldn't change anything.  
  
"Fine! Don't tell me then."  
  
Miss Parker didn't know if it was her tone of voice, the reverse psychology or the fact that Jarod was happy that she took an interest in him, that he answered.  
  
Without raising his head from his chest Jarod answered, "I was working with a different doctor that day, I had worked with him on a couple of other occasions. I couldn't do the SIM he was asking of me. I could do it now if I wanted to, but for me back then, it was extremely difficult. DR Mathews got mad at me, he hit me, hard enough to send me to the ground. I was so close to tears, the only other times I had been hit was from your father, when he found us laughing together, thinking that I was doing something I shouldn't be. having fun. And by Raines, of course, for talking back.  
  
But not like this, it was so hard and un-called for. I stood up, not touching my face, not showing my tears and glared back at him. I told him that it was too hard, I couldn't do it. So he grabbed me by the hair and threw me across the room, yelling at me. Apparently I was a spoiled brat, and when that had no effect on me, he tried something else." Jarod closed his eyes for a moment, trying to remember the exact words.  
  
"He had said, "No wonder your parents sent you here! I thought what you did to them was a lie, that no kid could ever do something that terrible and mean. That you were just a little kid, that you would never do it, but the way you are acting today, proves them right." He just looked down at me and shook his head, before he turned to leave he had said, "No wonder no-one loves you, you don't deserve to be loved or happy. Ever." Then he left."  
  
Thinking back, Miss Parker had remembered seeing a slight purple on his cheek bone. Man, she hated it when people hit kids. They can't defend themselves even if they wanted to.  
  
Miss Parker let out a yawn, glancing at her watch, she realised it was almost 4:30 am. She would have to go to bed very soon, if not now. Getting up, Miss Parker grabbed Jarods arm, pulling him up.  
  
"Where are we going?" Jarod asked, trying to hide the fear in his voice, not succeeding entirely.  
  
"Relax Franken-boy, we're just going to bed."  
  
#######  
  
Once in Jarods spacious room, Miss Parker looked around. How the hell was she going to secure Jarod and be able to sleep worry free?  
  
The only thing to come to mind was for him to sleep with her.  
  
"Get on the bed, rat-boy." Miss Parker ordered. Jarod happily obeyed.  
  
'Better than sleeping on the floor.'  
  
Jarod's hands were cuffed to the cast iron head frame. Parker striped off her stockings to use them to secure Wonder-boy's legs. After Jarod was safely tied down, with no risk off escaping, (she had even went so far as to checking under the bed for anything to use to pick the locks and removing anything and everything from the bedside table) Miss Parker left to change.  
  
She had rummaged through the few items of Jarods clothing and found one of his black T-shirts to wear. It hung loosely from her small frame, ending at her knees. Miss Parker couldn't help but to smell him on it. Ocean's breeze and innocence, just like he had smelt on the plane not too long ago.  
  
Miss Parker climbed back into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin.  
  
"May I please have some blanket?" Jarod asked softly.  
  
He was shaking, Miss Parker wasn't sure if it was because of being cold, or scared of his fate. Miss Parker turned over and pulled the blankets from under Jarods body and covered him with them. Turning to face away from him, she tried to go to sleep.  
  
Ten minutes had passed before Jarod thought it was safe enough to annoy her.  
  
"Why do you hate me?"  
  
Letting out a heave sigh, she answered him, "I don't hate you."  
  
"Then why do you call me those names?"  
  
"Because you deserve them."  
  
"How? What did I do to you to deserve them?"  
  
"Everything." Miss Parker was starting to get mad at him, couldn't he leave anything alone?  
  
"I didn't do anything to you."  
  
Raising up into a sitting position, she glared down at the pretender.  
  
"Everything that has happened in my life is a result of you. From the smallest thing to major events, all somehow can be traced back to you!"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
Miss Parker just shook her head sadly and layed back down, her back facing him.  
  
After a few minutes of silence, she thought that maybe, she might be able to get some sleep before the sun rose. Jarod obviously had another idea.  
  
"Miss Parker."  
  
"That's it! If you don't shut the hell up immediately I will gag you!"  
  
#######  
  
"Come now Jarod, it's time for your medical."  
  
"I don't want to go. I hate needles."  
  
"I don't care, I said come now boy." The man growled.  
  
"Yes DR Mathews."  
  
Jarod meekly got off of his bed and followed the order.  
  
"Almost done Jarod, I just need some blood. Can I please have your arm?" The nurse asked the boy gently.  
  
Jarod clutched his arm to his chest, shaking his head no.  
  
"Please Jarod, I wont hurt you, I promise." She said gently, trying not to scare the boy any more than he already was.  
  
Jarod shook his head.  
  
"Jarod please, before the doctor comes back."  
  
Jarod glanced at the door, but still refused to give the nurse his arm.  
  
DR Mathews walked in, seeing Jarod clutching his arm and the nurse holding an empty syringe.  
  
"Won't the boy allow you to take the required materials?  
  
"No, he's scared of needles." The nurse said, trying hard to protect the terrified boy.  
  
"Give her your arm boy."  
  
And when Jarod had refused to do as he was told, Mathews grabbed hold of his wrist and pulled his arm, hard enough for Jarod to scream in pain. The nurse quickly and gently took the blood.  
  
"See that wasn't so bad was it? I have a few more things I need to do, than he should be ready to leave. DR Mathews, if you would release the boys arm I can finish."  
  
After squeezing his wrist one last time, DR Mathews let Jarods arm go and left the room, closing the door behind him.  
  
"Are you alright Jarod? May I please see your arm" The nurse had said softly with love and concern in her voice.  
  
Jarod had found his arm stretching out to the nurse without knowing it. After poking and turning it a bit, she declared that, though it would bruise, it wasn't broken and would be fine.  
  
Assuming the nurse had finished the medical, Jarod slid off of the examining table. Before he had a chance to leave and get change, she had taken a hold of his face and turned it to the light.  
  
"Where did you get this bruise Jarod?"  
  
All Jarod did to answer was to look at the door DR Mathews and just walked from.  
  
"I see, I'll be sure to tell DR Greene of this when he returns. Jarod, one last thing. If you ever need someone to talk to, or need help, I will always be here for you. You need not fear me, even if you just need someone to comfort you ok?" She pulled Jarod into a hug and held him until the shaking in the boy's body had left.  
  
For the first time since he had arrived, Jarod spoke, "Thank you nurse." There was so much emotion in his voice, she had tears filling her eyes.  
  
Jarod quietly walked back to his room, he knew there would be punishment for what he did. There always was if you disobeyed DR Mathews.  
  
As soon as the door shut behind the couple, Jarod was thrown to the ground by a backhand.  
  
"How dare you disobey me! Especially in front of others!" Mathews growled at the frighten boy.  
  
Jarod would not let them see fear, he stood up on his shaking legs, and glared back at him.  
  
Jarod was punched in the face, his lip splitting. The doctor hated independent thought. Jarod was belted until he laid on the ground, in a fetal position, crying.  
  
"Do not disobey me. ever. Understood?"  
  
The only answer was crying. Which earned Jarod one last kick in the back. After a whimper of pain, the crying continued.  
  
"I'm warning you, if you don't quit that babbling, I will gag you!" Mathews threatened.  
  
Oh he tried, god did he try. But the sounds that were coming out of him were beyond his control.  
  
DR Mathews left the room for a minute returning with two pieces of cloth. One was stuffed into the boy's mouth and the other was used to hold it in place. Then his hands were cuffed together behind his back.  
  
"I will return, I expect you to have quit that whining and be ready for a SIM." With that Mathews left the terrified boy alone in the dark.  
  
#######  
  
Miss Parker turned to Jarod who had started to shake again and was whimpering. She sat up slowly and glanced into his eyes, they were sparkling with unshed tears.  
  
"Jarod?" Miss Parker asked softly yet with a distance in her tone. Miss Parker would not allow Jarod to see how much his behavior was scaring her. She placed a hand on his face only to have him jerk away.  
  
"I'll be-be quite, no more whining." With that, he turned his head and squeezed his eyes shut tight.  
  
'As long as he is quiet, I might as well get some sleep.'  
  
######  
  
The sun was just rising when Jarod woke up. He felt a warm weight across his chest and waist. He tried to sit up but found he was restrained. That's when Jarod remembered what happened earlier this morning.  
  
Lifting his head off of the pillow, he glanced down to see Miss Parker's head laying on his chest with her arm wrapped lightly across his stomach. Not wanting to wake her, Jarod laid his head back down and fell back to sleep with a smile upon his lips.  
  
#######  
  
Miss Parker woke to movement. Glancing over, she saw Jarod violently tossing around. Sitting up, Parker glanced down at the troubled man. Jarod was having one hell of a nightmare. The pretender's face was slick with sweat, he had tears making rivers on his checks, his brow wrinkled with pain.  
  
Jarod was whimpering one second, mumbling something the next. Without warning Jarod's eyes flew open, revealing the utter terror and panic he felt, as he screamed out Parker's name.  
  
The frighten man tried to sit up, and was confused when he couldn't. His eye's darted around the room, desperately trying to work out were he was, why he was tied down, and who, if anyone, was with him. Jarod's wide eye's only grew wider, when he noticed Parker sitting next to him. It took the pretender a second, but he finally, with some relief, remembered what was going on.  
  
"Are you quite done yet?" Miss Parker asked without feeling.  
  
Jarod frowned in anger. Maybe she was right, maybe the little girl he feel in love with didn't exist any more.  
  
"Well?" Miss Parker asked impatiently.  
  
Jarod just turned his head away, trying desperately to get the images out of his head. But they stayed, they persisted on haunting him, even though he was awake.  
  
#######  
  
It was 08:30 by the time Miss Parker emerged from the bathroom. She had no choice but to wear her suit from yesterday, either that or wear Jarod's clothing and that was out of the question.  
  
She donned a pair of black, lace up, shin high, stiletto boots, a black skirt that fell to just above her knees, the rest of her legs covered in tanned stockings that were previously used to bind Jarods legs. Miss Parker's red, silk shirt, laced up at the front in the same style as the boots. Finishing with her black fitted jacket, that was left open, sitting just below her hips.  
  
Walking over to Jarod, she had a little look-see. Her eyes running up and down his well built body.  
  
"What do you want Parker?" Jarod interrupted her perving session. His voice held venom and hatred, Miss Parker even picked up on the small amount of sadness.  
  
"To get going. I inspected the bathroom while I was in there. I have taken out anything you could use to escape. If you wish, you now may have a shower."  
  
Looking at Miss Parker, all re-freshed, than the bathroom door, he made his mind up. One hand held his sticky, hot, dirty body, the other held his clean, fresh, relaxed body. It wasn't a hard decision.  
  
"Please." Was all the answer Parker got.  
  
Leaning over Jarod's head, she removed the cuffs.  
  
'I wonder if she did that on purpose. An eye for an eye. Elle Macpherson, I gather.'  
  
While leaning over, Miss Parker had given Jarod an eye full, he saw right down her shirt. Standing back up, Jarod sighed sadly, he was enjoying the show.  
  
"Go and be quick, in 10 minutes, if your not out, I'm coming in."  
  
Jarod slowly sat up and stretched. He could see the warm, moist steam still exiting the small room. The smell of his bodywash, the warmth from Parker's shower, the relaxation from the water, all beckoned him to enter and indulge.  
  
TBC. 


	3. Shopping trip

Disclaimer: see chapter 1. Authors note: Thanks heaps to Maestra and Jacci, couldn't have done it without you girls.  
  
Chapter Three...  
  
Steaming hot water, the smell of coconut, the relaxation...  
  
All he needed now was Miss Parker naked in front of him and his morning was complete. Well, aside from the whole captured and begin returning to Van Dieman's Land that is. Van Dieman's Land was where they originally sent the worst of the convicts that arrived in New Holland. And the way the Centre treated him, he felt the convict's were better off. But for now, he was going to enjoy his shower.  
  
The hot water pelted down on his back. Jarod had his hands up against the tiles, savouring the mix of cool against hot. The rhythmical beating from the water on his back soothed the sore muscles and helped the pretender to relax. Remembering that Miss Parker only had giving him 10 minutes, he got to work.  
  
Grabbing the sponge, Jarod poured some of his coconut bodywash on to it. Man, did he love the smell of coconut. It had always reminded him of the sun and beach. Jarod would imagine going of to some tropical island, bathing in the sun and waves, digging his feet into the soft sand. Paradise.  
  
Banging on the door brought Jarod out of his mini pretend.  
  
"You have three minutes to finish in there before I drag your sorry wet ass out!" Miss Parker yelled through the closed door.  
  
*She really needs to learn how to be more patient.*  
  
Letting out a sad sigh, Jarod reluctantly turned off the water. Stepping out off the shower, the pretender grabbed a dry towel and wrapped it around his waist. Looking in the mirror, Jarod decided that a shave was in order.  
  
He was half way through shaving when the door flew open. Startled, Jarod accidentally cut himself.  
  
"Ow! That hurt!"  
  
"Stop your whining and get dressed now, we are leaving." Miss Parker ordered, ignoring the blood steadily seeping out from the cut on Jarod's neck.  
  
"Can I at least finish shaving? You wouldn't want me looking all grubby when I see father dear, would you?" Jarod shot at her, letting his anger show at the situation.  
  
"Make it quick."  
  
Jarod waited till Miss Parker left, but apparently she had another idea.  
  
"Can I have some privacy?"  
  
Her icy glare was his only answer.  
  
Looking down at the razor in his hands, then back up at Parker, Jarod tried to work out if he could use it against her. Quickly running a few SIM's through his head he decided, probably not.  
  
*I could get to her if I reacted while shaving, just before she pulls the gun... but I might hurt her. I don't want to have to hold her in a choke grip with the razor against her throat. What would happen if I slip on the wet floor? Could I even get to her before she pulls her gun? *  
  
With a sigh, he turned around and finished his job. Miss Parker seemed to want to stay while he got dressed too. Jarod hadn't thought about his clothes, he just wanted to be washed and clean. It was Parker who brought clean clothes in with her for Jarod to change into.  
  
"I suppose it's still a no to that privacy thing huh?"  
  
Miss Parker dropped his clothes onto the floor at his feet.  
  
With yet another sigh, Jarod picked them up, turned around and quickly got dressed. With Miss Parker watching him, hand on her gun at her back, Jarod felt like he was already at the Centre, eye's constantly on him. The pretender would normally have made a show, teasing Parker like he always did, but this was far from a happy, fun situation.  
  
When the pretender finished dressing, he quickly grabbed his gel out of his toiletry bag on the counter, and spiked his messy hair. Jarod was about to grab his toothbrush when a hand on his forearm stopped him.  
  
"No, we are leaving, take a mint instead." Miss Parker ordered.  
  
#######  
  
The DSA reader and Jarod's duffle bag were unceremoniously thrown in the boot. Jarod was seated in the passenger seat, his hand cuffed to the door handle. Miss Parker started the lowered car, pulling smoothly out of the driveway.  
  
"Miss Parker?" Jarod asked over the wind.  
  
"What is it rat-boy?" She hissed cruelly, Jarod tried not to flinch at the remark.  
  
"Can we stop somewhere for breakfast? I haven't eaten since..."  
  
"I really don't care when you ate last."  
  
"I'll shout you." Jarod hoped this would persuade her into stopping.  
  
Jarod last ate two days earlier and that was at lunch. He had been so busy with figuring out the last pieces of evidence he had simply forgotten to eat. The pretender's stomach let out a loud rumble, his face coloured a bit in embarrassment, hoping Miss Parker hadn't heard.  
  
Miss Parker turned her head at Jarod, he wore a cocky grin.  
  
"Jarod this trip will not be all fun and games, understood? I don't want any smart-ass teasing, any little mind games or any little remark. I want complete silence am I clear?" Miss Parker asked turning her eyes back to the road a head.  
  
"I'll will promise to keep quite the whole time if, we just stop for food. I'm starving." And that was no lie.  
  
"Get use to it!" Miss Parker mumbled under her breath. Jarod still heard.  
  
"Look Miss Parker, I know that you have no choice but to take me back to Lucifer's home, but please just grant me this. Just one nice thing from you and I'll be happy, and all you will have to do is pull up to where the food is."  
  
Parker stole a quick glance at him. He was almost begging, those puppy dog browns were doing their magic once again.  
  
*God he must be hungry to almost beg! Come to think of it, I haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday.*  
  
"Fine!" She gave in.  
  
Jarod let a triumphant smile cover his face.  
  
They were still in Sorrento, the town was fairly big and they had only just started to drive when boy-wonder started to complain.  
  
"I'm not eating that junk you do. If you want to eat, it will be something healthy."  
  
Miss Parker spotted a supermarket and pulled into the car park. Getting out of the car, Miss Parker walked over to Jarod's side. Using the key to the handcuffs, she undid the cuff fastened onto the handle. Locking the spare cuff to Jarod's free wrist and tightening both until they cut into his wrists, she ordered him to get out.  
  
After Miss Parker had placed Jarod's leather jacket over his chained wrists, they started towards the entrance.  
  
"Don't even try anything Jarod or so help me god..."  
  
"I may want my freedom, but I am not willing to risk getting innocents hurt in the process of acquiring it." The pretender responded darkly.  
  
"Just be sure to keep that in mind if you do get the urge to run."  
  
#######  
  
Jarod had been given the basket to carry in his hands, while Miss Parker had her arm looped through the crook of his arm. They looked like a happy couple to anyone walking passed . Heading straight to the produce department, Miss Parker tried to steer Jarod away from the doughnuts hanging on an impulse rack.  
  
"I said healthy Jarod, the doughnuts are staying!"  
  
Miss Parker grabbed two granny smith apples and a punnet of strawberries, before dragging the man to the bakery section.  
  
Once again, she had to remind Jarod they were eating healthy and to stay away from the cakes, doughnuts and other assorted sweets. Picking up a two pack of bagels and placing them into the basket with the fruits, they continued on their journey.  
  
Arm in arm, the two walked to the back of the store to the fridges for a drink.  
  
"Apple and guava or orange?" Parker asked looking at the juices.  
  
"Chocolate milk?" Jarod asked hopefully.  
  
"Hey, genius, how many times must I say this..." Before she could finish, the pretender did it for her.  
  
"We are eating healthy. But the way I see it, it is healthy."  
  
Raising an eye brow, Miss Parker read from the nutritional table on the back.  
  
"It contains 18.4 grams of fat per 600 ml. Now, tell me again, how that is healthy?" Miss Parker asked genuinely interested in what he would say.  
  
"If you take into the account of how much calcium there is in milk, as well as the sodium and protein, the drink it self would be suitable for breakfast by itself. Then if you combine the milk with the substances of the chocolate..."  
  
Miss Parker gave in.  
  
"Alright, have the damned milk for all I care."  
  
Jarod's face lit up like he had just won lotto.  
  
Heading back to the checkout, Parker made a quick stop in two of the aisles, to grab a small jar of apricot jam and some plastic plates and knives.  
  
Just as Miss Parker was about to pick up the plastic plates, Jarod stoped her.  
  
"Paper,"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Can you please get the paper plates?" Jarod asked.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"More environmentally friendly." Jarod said with a grin.  
  
"Do I look like I really care about the damned whales?"  
  
"Come on..." Jarod pushed, "Plus, they are cheaper."  
  
Sighing, Miss Parker grabbed the paper plates and dragged Jarod on.  
  
*Who in god's name designed this damn shop! Apparently, not anyone who has meet Jarod! *  
  
Miss Parker thought angrily. Across from the drinks were the ice-cream and frozen desserts. Down the aisle with the plastic plates and knives were soft drink and chips, *Oh no! New discoveries! *, went through her head. Leaving that aisle as fast as possible, she went to collect the jam. Much to her dismay, the jam was down the same aisle as the candy.  
  
Every three seconds, boy-wonder's face would light up with delight, every five seconds it would fall with disappointment. This went on until Miss Parker had managed to get the jam and leave the aisle almost running.  
  
#######  
  
After paying for their groceries, Miss Parker drove to the closest park to eat. It was such a beautiful day and Miss Parker would become a nun before she ate anything in her car. Jarod didn't argue with her over this one. What more could a man ask for, eating breakfast at the park with a beautiful women and chocolate milk.  
  
Miss Parker had to find a quite, secluded spot for them to eat. She wouldn't risk taking the handcuffs off of him, but she couldn't have anyone seeing Jarod in them either.  
  
The pretender had pointed out an amazing spot. There was an enormous oak tree standing tall, covering the ground with the shade cast by the branches. The rest of the surrounding area was left open, allowing the nearly noon sun to shine down. The grass was soft and slightly moist to touch but that didn't stop them.  
  
Miss Parker took Jarod's jacket and laid it down on the grass, sitting down on it with her legs folded to her side. Jarod dropped to the ground, his bum hitting with a soft thump. Not very graceful at all.  
  
Miss Parker unpacked their bag of treats, handing Jarod his half. The hungry man wasted no time eating it. The bagel was gone before he even but any jam on it, then went the apple. Drinking his milk more carefully than he ate his food, Jarod proceeded to eat his strawberries at a slightly slower rate, than the rest of his food.  
  
Miss Parker stared dumbfounded at him, she had never seen someone eat so fast! After spreading the jam onto her bagel, Miss Parker offered it to Jarod. The poor man just stared at her like she just turned into a frog. Surprise and confusion was written all over his face.  
  
"Are you gonna eat it or just stare at me all day?" Parker couldn't help to let the amusement show.  
  
"Uh-um..."  
  
*My god! He's speechless!*  
  
"Well?" Miss Parker asked, trying hard not to burst into a fit of laughter. What was so hard to comprehend that she was giving him her bagel. And they thought he was a genius!  
  
"Jarod...?"  
  
Jarod finally snapped out of his trance, he must have looked like an idiot! But still why on god's green earth was the ice queen giving him her breakfast?  
  
"Thank you, I think." Jarod slowly reached out awkwardly, his hands still painfully cuffed, to retrieve the offering. Carefully biting into it, he waited for a few minutes before he sallowed. Certain that it wasn't poisoned in any way, he continued to eat it.  
  
Miss Parker continued to watch the man in amazement. The way he reacted to her offering was hilarious! She could only begin to imagine what had gone through his mind. If she had been him, having the famed ice queen giving the pretender her bagel, Parker was sure she would be shocked and slightly confused too.  
  
#######  
  
Miss Parker had decided to travel via the coast. Granted it was a few hours longer than travelling in land, but she always loved the beach.  
  
It was four in the afternoon, and as unbelievable as it was, Jarod hadn't uttered a single sound.  
  
Parker shot a look at the silent pretender, to find him with his head hanging out the car. Jarod's face was tilted upwards towards the sun, hair flowing with the wind. The look on Jarod's face, along with the smile, blew Parker away! He was in heaven. Never in her life had Miss Parker seen someone so exhilarated because of the wind and sun. Jarod could die now, a happy man, if he wanted to.  
  
Miss Parker wanted to ask Jarod why he was so happy, but found herself just smiling at him instead. She didn't want to break whatever spell that had fallen upon the pretender.  
  
Jarod had felt himself being scrutinised, sitting up straighter in his seat, he turned to see Miss Parker staring at him. There was curiosity and amazement in her icy blue's, every couple of seconds, her face would turn towards his.  
  
After a lengthy pause, Jarod asked his question.  
  
"What?"  
  
"What were you doing?" The ice queen asked curiously.  
  
"I don't follow." Jarod tilted his head to the side, the way he always did when he felt confused.  
  
"Why were you putting your head out the window like a dog? All you needed was the tongue sticking out and the drool and you could have been one."  
  
"I like the wind." Was the plain answer she had received.  
  
"Enough to stick your head out of a moving car?"  
  
"Yes." Again the answer was simple. Almost like Jarod couldn't understand her need to question it.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Aren't you the nosy one today?"  
  
"Why?" Miss Parker snapped back.  
  
"It makes me feel free. The first storm that I experienced when I escaped was breath-taking. I stood in the rain, face looking up to the heavens. The wind was blowing in strong gusts, I was soaking wet, and freezing, but I didn't care. The wind on my face made me feel truly free. It does every time I feel it."  
  
Why hadn't she seen it before? Why hadn't all the people that had fallen in love with Jarod shown her? This man was ...incredible! Anyone who could feel so strongly about the wind on your face, or the sunshine, or life, was.  
  
"Doesn't it make you feel free Miss Parker?" Jarod asked softly.  
  
"No, it doesn't. I can't see how it could."  
  
She didn't want to talk to the man in the seat next to her any more. Reaching out, Miss Parker turned the radio on.  
  
Everybody needs a little loving,  
  
Everybody needs somebody thinking of them.  
  
Everybody needs a little respect,  
  
And whatever it takes, I'm gonna get it.  
  
Miss Parker stole a glance at Jarod, who's head was once again out the window. He seamed oblivious to the song, she hadn't heard it before, but it was quite upbeat. The singer was a lone female, and had a powerful voice.  
  
Everybody needs a hand to hold,  
  
Someone to cling to when the nights are getting cold.  
  
I'm no different, I am just the same,  
  
A play in the game.  
  
Absolutely everybody,  
  
Everybody, everybody.  
  
Absolutely everybody,  
  
In the whole wide world.  
  
Absolutely everybody,  
  
Every boy and girl,  
  
Absolutely everybody,  
  
Every body needs a human touch,  
  
I can't live without it,  
  
It means too much to me.  
  
Everybody needs one true friend,  
  
Some one who'll be there 'til the very end.  
  
"Miss Parker, will you be my friend forever and all eternity?"  
  
And absolutely everybody breathes,  
  
And everybody, everybody bleeds.  
  
We're no different,  
  
We're all the same.  
  
Players in the game.  
  
"It's just another piece of the puzzle, Miss Parker."  
  
Absolutely everybody,  
  
Everybody, everybody.  
  
Absolutely everybody,  
  
In the whole wide world.  
  
Everybody breathes,  
  
And everybody needs.  
  
Absolutely everybody.  
  
Every boy and evey girl.  
  
Every women and child.  
  
Every father and son,  
  
I said now everyone.  
  
Yes now everyone. Every body needs a human touch,  
  
Everybody, everybody needs love.  
  
I'm no different, I'm just the same,  
  
A player in the game.  
  
"Can't you understand that Miss Parker? Can't you understand that I just want to be loved?"  
  
Absolutely everybody,  
  
Everybody, everybody.  
  
Absolutely everybody,  
  
In the whole wide world.  
  
Everybody breathes,  
  
And everybody needs.  
  
Absolutely everybody.  
  
Absolutely everybody,  
  
Everybody, everybody.  
  
Absolutely everybody,  
  
In the whole wide world.  
  
Everybody breathes,  
  
And everybody needs.  
  
Absolutely everybody  
  
Miss Parker shot a quick glance back at Jarod. Those unbelievably deep, chocolate browns, were staring right at her. He hadn't failed to see the messages in the song. Leaning over, Miss Parker angrily turned off the radio.  
  
TBC...  
  
Authors note: I forgot, I don't own this song, Vanessa Amorosi does. And for any one who thinks that I purposely made the supermarket like that, I didn't. I actually used my local store as a reference, and they have put everything the way I have described it!! LOL, they have never meet Jarod either! And by the way, sorry for taking so long to update, but I got a new computer and couldn't figure out the programming. 


	4. Last time

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.  
  
Authors note: Thanks heaps to Maestra and Jacci, couldn't have done it without you girls. Extra hugs for Jacci for staying up late all those nights ripping it apart trying to help. Lol, thanks. And thanx for the feedback huys, I hope you enjoy.  
  
Chapter four...  
  
"Why did you turn the radio off?" Jarod asked a little annoyed, but mainly curious.  
  
"I don't like Oprah." Miss Parker replied.  
  
Jarod tilted his head and a frown creased his brow as he thought, after a few seconds Jarod spoke, "Who is Oprah, and what does she have to do with you turning the radio off?"  
  
"Forget it wonder-boy!" Miss Parker let out a frustrated sigh, why was he so damn annoying?  
  
"I want to know...I'm curious." He said, almost sulking.  
  
"Better hope you're not a cat." Miss Parker growled angrily.  
  
"I'm not Miss Parker." Jarod replied, stating the obvious, confused as to why she would think that. "Come on Parker, just asking a simple question, making small talk. Why did you turn it off?"  
  
*Making small chat my ass! Boy-wonder knows damned well why I turned that stupid machine off! *  
  
Without answering the question, Miss Parker shot a warning glance at him to shut up. Who the hell was she trying to kid? Making franken-boy shut up was almost as impossible as making Lyle pick flowers!  
  
"Come on Miss Parker, you got me, why don't you tell me!"  
  
Snapping her head to the side, she saw Jarod's face blank, but there was no doubt as to what she saw in those puppy dog browns. Amusement.  
  
*That's it! Just play along Parker, beat him at his own game.*  
  
"Cute, not funny but cute." Miss Parker shot back.  
  
*Perfect Parker!*  
  
The look on Jarod's face for that spilt second was priceless! The utter surprise that swept his features was unmistakable.  
  
"Miss Parker... you remembered...I'm flattered." Jarod finally got out, having to think about what was needed to come out his mouth.  
  
"Don't be rat. You're my job, I have to know you, which includes memorising every detail I ever got from or off of you."  
  
*Oh god, I didn't mean to hurt him like that... what are you thinking Parker? Jarod deserves to be hurt! But that look...!* Parker let out a sigh.  
  
Jarod hadn't bothered to hide the hurt that Miss Parker's comment had caused. She could always do that, hurt him like no-one else could. Just like he could do to her.  
  
"I'm sorry Jarod." Miss Parker said in a whisper.  
  
Jarod couldn't contain the shock!  
  
*She said sorry!! She threw a snide remark that stung like a killer bee, but she apologised! Maybe there's still hope. Maybe little Miss Parker is still in there after all those years of darkness! Maybe I can still reach her!!" Jarod was almost jumping for joy!  
  
"It's alright Parker." Jarod said in an even voice, striped of any emotion, "I guess I deserved that." "Do you think I would apologise if I didn't have to? You gave a compliment of some sort and I snapped right back at you. It was un-called for."  
  
"Thank you." Jarod had to try with all his might to keep a neutral mask on, not to let the tears show. It had been years since anyone had apologised to him, if ever. No-one at the Centre thought they needed to apologise for what happened to him, it meant the world to Jarod that Miss Parker said she was sorry. She would never know how much it truly meant to him.  
  
Miss Parker never responded, she just started straight ahead at the road.  
  
####### Night time started to fall upon the couple. The soft hues of the sunset illuminated the darkening sky. With the loss of the sun, the cold started to creep up on them. Until they were shivering.  
  
Spotting a diner, Miss Parker pulled into the car park. Pushing a button, and then exiting her car, Miss Parker proceeded to secure the soft roof of the car.  
  
Walking over too Jarod's side of the Boxter, Miss Parker pulled open the door without thought. Jarod let out a yelp of pain at having his arm roughly pulled along with the door. Half hanging out of the car, Jarod looked up at his captor.  
  
"Can you please shut the door a bit so my arm isn't pulled half out of its socket."  
  
Only just realising why he yelped in pain, Miss Parker quickly shut the door almost all the way.  
  
Crouching down to his level, Miss Parker spoke, "I'm hungry, I know you are too. Can I trust you to eat without running?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'm serious Jarod, if I see you slip something into your pocket, cause undue attention, try to run, I will not hesitate to shoot you. If you are not in range I will resort to shooting innocent people until you return. And I don't need to remind you the Centre will clean up my mess."  
  
"Like I told you before, I will not let innocent bystanders get hurt. I promise not to try anything."  
  
"Good. Let's go." Miss Parker stood up after she freed Jarod from the cuffs.  
  
#######  
  
It was like stepping back through time. The diner was made to look like Grease. The waitress's wearing puffy skirts and tucked in shirts, their hair mainly up. The guys were in the tight pants and short jackets with the collar up.  
  
Sitting in the booth at the very back, Jarod trapped in the corner, they found the place quite appealing. The music was being played off of old records, songs from around the 50's, being released from a genuine, antique jukebox.  
  
"What can I get you two?" A young girl no older than 16 asked with a smile.  
  
Smiling back, Miss Parker asked, "Do you have anything healthy, like a salad with chicken?"  
  
"No we don't, but let me see what we can cook up? I'm sure the cook won't mind. What about you sir?"  
  
"Jarod will have the same." Miss Parker answered before he had a chance.  
  
"Can you give us a minute please?" Jarod asked, smiling at the young waitress.  
  
"No worries."  
  
"Miss Parker, I don't want the salad."  
  
"Jarod I said that we are eating healthy and I mean it."  
  
"I will be locked away for the rest of my life in about five hours, let me indulge for the last time."  
  
"Jarod, I said healthy ok."  
  
"No, it's not ok!" Jarod's voice raised a notch, "I'm going back to hell and you're worried about what I eat? Come off of it Parker, you're the one sending me back there, you're the one damning me for all eternity! I'm eating what I want!" Jarod finished angrily.  
  
Jarod's heart sunk when he saw the hurt on her face.  
  
"I'm sorry Jarod. I have to take you back there, if I don't, they will kill me. The triumvirate is losing patience, and I have been gone to long not to come home with you. I didn't want this to happen this way."  
  
Miss Parker got up and walked outside, sitting on a bench near the front doors.  
  
#######  
  
This was his chance! He could slip out the back doors and make a run for it. He could be long gone before Parker realised it. Freedom smelt so sweet... then why were his legs carrying him out the doors to where Parker sat?  
  
Sitting down next to her, Jarod realised she was sobbing softly.  
  
"Hey Miss Parker, I'm sorry I snapped at you."  
  
Looking up at the pretender Miss Parker saw genuine concern and guilt.  
  
"Why? I deserved it. You're right, like normal, I am the one to screw your life up. I deserve everything you can throw at me and so much more."  
  
"You don't have a choice in the matter. I would willing walk right back to the Centre now, if it would save your life."  
  
"I'm not hungry anymore. Do you still want to eat?"  
  
"Why put off my fate? Let's get going."  
  
Nodding, Miss Parker got up off the bench and followed Jarod to the car. Cuffing the pretender's hand back to the handle of the door, Miss Parker got in and drove off.  
  
#######  
  
"Jarod, if the Centre didn't use your work to hurt and kill, would you have still left?"  
  
Sighing, Jarod turned to look at Parker. What an odd question for her to ask. She had been acting strange for the last few hours, changing somewhat. He would have laughed at anyone if they told him that Parker would apologise for insulting him, and even more so for taking him back to hell.  
  
"No, I believe I would have stayed."  
  
"Why?" Miss Parker asked in a small voice. This was one question she always wanted to ask.  
  
"I knew no better. The Centre was my home, my life, my work. I loved Sydney, I would have done anything for him. I had Angelo, and Kenny before Damin killed him. I loved the challenges I was given, the constant attention I got from my work. I didn't have to worry about anything other than the problem at hand. And I had you."  
  
This caused Miss Parker to look strangely at the man.  
  
"How?"  
  
"I always would SIM you returning to the Centre. What would happen if I ever saw you again, what you would look like, what you would say. I would imagine you laughing at some stupid thing I said, at some joke that went over my head. You kept me wanting to stay just to catch a glimpse off you."  
  
*And must I ask again, why didn't anyone ever tell me how incredible this man is? My god! He would have stayed at the Centre just to see me. He would have put up with the pain that place caused, with all the nightmares it caused for me!*  
  
"Why? I would have been a total cow to you, would have ripped your head off for coming near me. You would have copped such verbal abuse, even you would have run off with your tail between your legs! You must have known that?"  
  
"I still believe you to be that sweet, caring girl I knew as a child. I'm stubborn as a mule, I will never let that go, and I will prevail until I am proven right!"  
  
"That may be never Jarod. We are half an hour out of Blue Cove."  
  
"I will never stop trying." Jarod turned back to look out the window.  
  
#######  
  
The Centre was in sight, ten minutes more and they were there. Stealing a glance at the cuffed pretender, Miss Parker noticed him shaking un- controllably. His eyes were squeezed shut and his breathing was rapid.  
  
*This is the last time I am doing this for him. I swear to god, he won't get off so easily next time.*  
  
Reaching over with one hand, Miss Parker uncuffed Jarod's hand. Trying with all she had to stay on the road, while she steered with one hand.  
  
His head shot up with a snap.  
  
"Miss Parker, what are you doing?" The poor guy was confused as all hell.  
  
"Put your seat belt on genius." Was all the replay he got.  
  
Reaching over his shoulder, Jarod grabbed the belt and clipped it into its holder.  
  
*What the hell does she think she's doing?*  
  
"Miss Parker what's going on?" Jarod asked as he felt the car gaining speed.  
  
"Hold on tight, and whatever you do, don't stay here. Run as far as you can. Am I understood?" Miss Parker asked with a claim she did not feel.  
  
"No I don't, what are you doing?" Jarod asked, not bothering to hide his panic. She was starting to really scare him now.  
  
"Just promise me you'll get away, please Jarod? I don't want to be the one responsible for your death at the Centre."  
  
"And what about yours, this will make me responsible."  
  
"No, it won't. I'm doing what my mother would have wanted." Turning to face the panicked man next to her, she added, "Please Jarod!"  
  
Looking over at her with panicked and terror filled eyes, Jarod saw the pure anguish on her face, the tears swimming in her eyes, and the few that rolled down her cheek.  
  
*She's crying, oh god! What is she doing! Why won't she listen, just take me in! I can survive anything knowing she's safe!!*  
  
And before Jarod could say anymore, he felt the shift in speed once more and the turn of directions. Looking out of the window, he could see the tree coming straight for them, the screeching of the tires, the crunch of the metal, as the car impacted with the tree on Miss Parker's side.  
  
"Please Jarod...go..." Miss Parker gasped before her eye's rolled back into her head.  
  
TBC... 


	5. The deadly crash

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.  
  
Authors note: Thanks heaps to Maestra and Jacci, couldn't have done it without you girls. And I'm so late at updating, just that I'm still working out this comp, sigh, but I'm hoping its all good now. Nothing I do is working for my flash backs, so I will have then after *****  
  
Chapter five...  
  
Consciousness slowly came back to the trapped man. His ears were ringing, his head was throbbing, his vision blurred. After a few seconds, his memory returned like a sledgehammer.  
  
*******  
  
"Hold on tight, and whatever you do, don't stay here. Run as far as you can. Am I understood?" ... "Just promise me you'll get away, please Jarod? I don't want to be the one responsible for your death at the Centre."  
  
*******  
  
"Miss Parker!" Jarod yelled out, panicking, he turned in his seat to look at his huntress.  
  
*Oh my God!*  
  
"Miss Parker, can you hear me?!"  
  
Undoing his seatbelt, Jarod grabbed a hold of the steering wheel frantically trying to pull himself closer to her.  
  
She was a mangled mess. Her hair covering her face, sticking to the places coved in blood. Her body slumped against the seatbelt which was holding her up. The trees were pushing into her, sticks had embedded themselves into her arms and sides. Her shoulder looked dislocated. Her leg was broken, the bone sticking out, and was twisted unnaturally. There were gashes and bruises all over her bloody body.  
  
Checking her pulse and lifting her eyelids, Jarod desperately called her name a few more times.  
  
"Miss Parker, please wake up, Miss Parker, can you hear me?" Jarod was finally rewarded with a moan and fluttering of her lids.  
  
"Jar-rod?" Miss Parker asked weakly.  
  
A broad smile covered his face. "Yes Parker, it's me."  
  
"My stomach hurts." Miss Parker whined.  
  
Using his hand, Jarod pressed firmly over her abdominal, concluding she was bleeding internally.  
  
"Your bleeding internally, we need to get you to the hospital or even the..."  
  
"Jarod go!" Miss Parker ordered softly.  
  
"No, I'm staying, I'm not leaving you."  
  
"Please..." Parker blacked out.  
  
"Parker...Parker!!"  
  
Jarod started panicking, she wasn't answering him again. She was in serious condition. He need to get help and fast! He couldn't move her, that would cause more harm then good.  
  
Before he could even think of doing anything, Jarod heard faint sounds of engines.  
  
His heart started to beat faster, sweat was forming, Jarod was terrified. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Jarod didn't know what to do. Stay, help Miss Parker and get caught, facing a fate worse then death. Or run, run as far as he can and pray to the heavens that she would live. What ever he decided, he better do it quickly. They were in sight now.  
  
How could he chose between his precious freedom and his only love? Why did the god's persist in torturing him this way? It almost killed him making the choice to run and abandon her when she so desperately needed him. But there really wasn't much he could do for her now, help was on its way. Jarod couldn't think of anything else as his survival instincts took over. Smashing his window which amazingly wasn't in a thousand pieces already, the frightened pretender climbed out. Slicing his flesh and heart as he went. Jarod was positive that he left a piece of his soul, a piece of himself behind.  
  
Running as fast as his broken body could take him, Jarod ran towards the woods. Never looking back, in fear that he would bolt right back to her.  
  
*God forgive me- no-one else will! *  
  
Changing directions suddenly, Jarod run towards the Centre. If he couldn't stay with her, he would at least watch over her.  
  
#######  
  
Climbing into the ventilation system, Jarod paused to figure out where they would take her.  
  
Renewal wing.  
  
It has the best surgical facility in the Centre. Jarod started to climb down the vents, stubbornly ignoring the slight sting of pain his body was giving, the pain trying to get past all the adrenaline in his system to let him know the seriousness of his injuries. He just needed to find Parker, make sure she was still alive.  
  
There!! She was already prepped for surgery. The doctors and nurses were placing tubes in her, covering her mouth with the mask. From his hiding place in the vents, the pretender could see everything.  
  
*God! She looks so vulnerable, so defenseless, so... lifeless!!!*  
  
They cut deep into her skin, revealing her insides for the whole world to see. Blood was every where, people scurried about trying to keep her alive. Her shoulder was still dislocated, her leg was in a makeshift splint.  
  
Jarod couldn't bare to watch it anymore, turning his head away, he couldn't stop the tears from coming.  
  
*This is all my fault! I shouldn't have pushed her to remember the little girl who gave me my first kiss. I shouldn't have made her feel guilty. I shouldn't have made her cry!! *  
  
The cessation of the beeping of the heart monitoring machine made Jarod turn his head back to the surgery.  
  
"She's flat lining people!" The doctor yelled at the people in the room.  
  
Jarod heard the doctor ordering the nurses to pump her full of medicine, ordering to get the gel. Then ordering "Clear!"  
  
Three times later and she still was flat lining.  
  
Each time the shock coursed through her lifeless body, Jarod could feel them as well, he was sick with grief and guilt  
  
"I'm sorry Mr Parker, there's nothing we can do."  
  
*Oh god...oh god...what have I done! *  
  
Jarod couldn't stay any longer, they had called out the time of death. If he stayed, they would hear the gut wrenching sobs that were about to escape his lips.  
  
He needed help. He needed comfort. He needed to be told this wasn't his fault. He needed Refuge.  
  
######  
  
Jarod crawled through the vents, stopping at Sydney's office. Softly opening the covering, Jarod climbed down, shutting it behind him. Finding the darkest corner he could, Jarod limped over, sitting down. Grabbing his knees and bringing them to his chest, the man cried whilst he rocked back and forth.  
  
#######  
  
"Mr Broots, Dr Sydney, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Miss Parker didn't make it." the doctor who had preformed the surgery stated to the worried men.  
  
"Thank you doctor." Sydney said automatically. Spotting Sam, the men walked over.  
  
"I'm sorry sir, we tried the best we could to get her out of the car. But it took too long."  
  
"It's alright Sam, this isn't your fault."  
  
"Your right, it's your pet's fault!" Sam growled. He was going to kill Jarod as soon as he could get his hands on the man.  
  
Taken aback, Sydney asked confused, "Why?"  
  
"Jarod was in the car. The cleaners said that Miss Parker was bringing him in, he must have caught sight of the Centre and panicked, grabbing the steering wheel to try and swerve off the road so he could escape. But Miss Parker pulled it back her way as a reaction, causing the car to crash into the tree on her side."  
  
"How d-did they work t-this out?" Broots asked. Neither believing Jarod would do such a stupid or selfish thing.  
  
"His finger prints are all over the steering wheel. The cuffs are still attached to the door on his side. Mark my words, I will track him down and kill him. Torture him so bad, he will be begging for his death!" Sam finished, walking off, muttering one more time, "Mark my words."  
  
#######  
  
"Syd, I'm going home, I think you should to." Broots said to the elder man, concern clearly apparent in his voice. Broots wanted to stay with Sydney, but he was torn by his need to see his daughter  
  
"Thank you for your concern Broots, but I think I would rather just go to my office and think. What are you going to tell your daughter?"  
  
It didn't pass Broots' attention that he referred to Debbie as his daughter, this was very unlike Sydney. "The truth. That Miss Parker was in a car accident and was killed. Sydney, she's going to be devastated, Miss Parker was like a mother to her!"  
  
"If you like, I can come with you?" Sydney offered his support. He need something that would stop him from thinking about what had just happened. He didn't want to process the information he was given about Miss Parker's death.  
  
"It's ok Syd, you need time to yourself. Will you be ok?"  
  
"Honestly? I don't know."  
  
#######  
  
Entering his office, Sydney heard soft crying. Following the noise, Sydney noticed Jarod rocking in the corner.  
  
"Jarod?" Sydney asked.  
  
"It's all my fault!" Jarod wailed.  
  
That one mournful cry that escaped the anguished man's lips confirmed everything Sydney was trying to denied. How could the Psychiatrist ignore the facts of his adoptive daughters death, when the man that was supposably responsible, was on his floor crying out that it was all true? All of a sudden, the numbness and denial the man was feeling dissipated being replaced with anger, rage, hatred so strong Sydney lashed out at the devastated man.  
  
"Your damned right it is." Sydney growled back, his voice full of anger and sadness.  
  
"I'm so sorry Sydney! I didn't want it to happen, but it did!" Jarod cried out, "She's dead Sydney, I killed her!"  
  
"How could you do it Jarod? I understand you panicking, but why did you run?"  
  
"I saw them coming and I started to run before I could think about it."  
  
"So you left her there to bleed to death?" Sydney hissed at the younger man.  
  
"No!.. Yes!...I didn't want to but I couldn't stop running! Please Sydney, I didn't mean it!"  
  
"You didn't mean what?" Sydney's voiced was raising, "You did not mean for the car to crash? You did not mean for her to get hurt?" Sydney caught himself and lowered himself to a deadly whisper, not wanting to alert the sweepers, "Or you did not mean to abandon her?"  
  
"All of it. I didn't want her to die, I swear!" Jarod sobbed.  
  
"Well now you don't have to worry about her chasing you!" Sydney said coldly, accusingly.  
  
"Oh Sydney, please!" Jarod begged.  
  
"No! You're a pretender, you should have pretended to care enough to save her!" Sydney was consumed by hatred of this man. "You should have stayed, you should have stabilised her! But instead you ran away, abandoning her. Just like you did when you ran away from here! Jarod, how could you leave her in her hour of need!" Sydney's anger left as quickly as it came. "How could you Jarod?"  
  
Jarod just shook his head sadly before resting it on his folded knees.  
  
"Get up Jarod." Sydney ordered with a blank face, in an emotionless voice.  
  
Slowly, Jarod obeyed, wincing in pain, a brief flicker of fear flashed in his eyes. This was a side of Sydney he never wish to see again.  
  
"I'm sorry Sydney, I truly am."  
  
"Go out to my car, I'm parked on the south side, be discreet." With that, Sydney left the distraught man to find his own way out of the Centre without being caught. 


	6. Even with all my talents

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.  
  
Authors note: Thanks heaps to Maestra and Jacci, couldn't have done it without you girls. Extra hugs for Jacci for staying up late all those nights ripping it apart trying to help. Lol, thanks. For the life of me, I can't get formatting to work correctly, so dreams will be indicated with %%%  
  
Chapter six...  
  
Sydney sat behind the steering wheel of his car, impatiently drumming his fingers against the wheel, and sighing in annoyance. Where the hell was he?  
  
A movement in his review mirror caught Sydney's attention. Glancing over his shoulder, Sydney saw Jarod running awkwardly over to his car, hiding behind a few others on his way. Jarod finally climbed into the car out of breath.  
  
"What took you so long?" Sydney asked, harshly, letting his annoyance show.  
  
Jarod glanced at Sydney unbelievingly. He had just escaped the Centre again. Hiding from the camera's, dodging the sweepers that on two occasions almost spotted the injured man, sprinted across a 1000 space car park, and all he could do was ask what took so long?  
  
"I'm sorry Sydney. It's harder than..." Jarod panted heavily, he could hardly comprehend Sydney's cold attitude.  
  
"I'm sure you could have done it faster, I know you have before." Sydney interrupted Jarod's explanation with a hate filled voice.  
  
"Sydney..." Jarod tried desperately to explain. Sydney was all ready furious with him for the crash and Miss Parker's death, he didn't want him any madder because he had trouble getting out of the Centre.  
  
"Keep it to yourself pretender, I don't care anymore." Sydney said in a emotionless voice.  
  
Jarod gasped as he straightened up. Sydney had never called Jarod by anything other than his name.  
  
*PRETENDER!!?? Oh god Sydney! How many times am I going to have to say I'm sorry? I didn't mean to kill her, your not helping by calling me that. Please don't be like this to me Sydney! Please!*  
  
Jarod sank even lower into the seat as he pulled his seat belt over him, wincing in pain as he did so. Turning away from the fire in his mentor's eyes, Jarod stared out of the window, crying silently.  
  
The ride was made back in an uncomfortable silence, bar the occasional sniff and escaped sob from Jarod's body. Jarod clung for dear life onto the armrest attached to the door, frightened that Sydney might crash the car as well. He had risked a glance at Sydney a few times, and each time made him shrink away. The older man's jaw was tightened in anger, rage burned in his eyes, his lips pressed together in a straight line.  
  
#######  
  
Pulling into the drive way, Sydney slammed the brakes on bringing the car to a halt. Throwing open the door as he got out, Sydney walked up to the front door and entered his house, not bothering to wait for the younger man.  
  
Jarod cringed at the sudden and violent movements that Sydney made. This was totally against his character. He had always hidden his feelings, always remained cool and calm. He had never even so much as shown Jarod a smile while he had been in The Centre unless it was to say 'good work Jarod'.  
  
*Would Sydney have shown this much emotion if I had been the one to die? Would he ever show this amount of pain, anger, sadness if I died? Would he ever show that he cared?... Would he care?*  
  
This realisation triggered a fresh wave of grief. Jarod had always wondered, always hoped that Sydney would show this kind of emotion towards him. Jarod had consoled himself throughout his entire life with the belief that Sydney was incapable of showing any really strong emotion. But Jarod realised now that the fault was within himself, and it always had. He was not worthy of Sydney's love, and now, he never would be.  
  
It wasn't fair. Sydney was showing emotions that Jarod had never seen before, emotions that were for Miss Parker. Jarod wanted so badly for Sydney to show this much feeling for him. It wasn't fair! She had always had the better life, always had people that cared for her, family. Jarod was consumed with guilt. He had taken it all away from her. It was his fault. He couldn't blame The Centre or anybody else this time. He had done this. It had been his decision, and his alone. Had he been so consumed with jealousy that he wanted to see her hurt? So obsessed with his own freedom that he had been willing to sacrifice her very life? Oh God! He was so sorry! Remorse tore at him. How could he make Sydney understand how sorry he was?  
  
Slowly climbing out of the car, Jarod eventually made it to the front door. Hesitating at the threshold, wondering if he should just turn and run. Disappear. Vanish. Hide forever. Never face Sydney, or Broots, or her family. Granted, he never wanted to face her family, but now it was worse. Especially her father. He would have no second thoughts about dumping him in SL-27, under Raines' dubious 'care'. Mr. Parker wouldn't care if Jarod was left in any shape after Raines' torture, to do SIM's for them. Perhaps that is no better than what he deserved.  
  
Before he could change his mind, a hand grabbed his wrist and yanked him around the corner forceably. Sydney stood there, pointing to the wooden chair in the middle of the lounge room. Taking the hint, Jarod slowly hobbled over to the wooden kitchen chair, and gingerly sat down. Before Sydney moved from his spot, he flicked on the over head light, illuminating the room up brightly.  
  
This was the first time Sydney had a chance to see the extant of Jarod's injuries. Sydney gasped in horror. How could he have missed it? Why didn't Jarod mention it?  
  
*I know why Jarod didn't say anything! I was laying on the guilt. Venting my hurt and anger on him!*  
  
Sighing, Sydney walked closer to the man for a more intense inspection. Reaching his hand out for Jarod's face, Sydney didn't fail to see Jarod jerk back in fear.  
  
*What have I done? He is afraid of me!*  
  
Sydney reached out again to try and take a hold of the man's face but Jarod jumped off of the chair and scooted back.  
  
"I'm not going to hurt you, you should know that." Sydney almost laughed at himself; the way he was acting contradicted everything he normally was. Jarod had every right to be terrified. Sydney decided to take the approach he had been on already. It seemed, at the moment, like it worked better, got through his confusion and shock.  
  
"Sit down pretender!" Sydney growled, bring up all his anger and pain again.  
  
The growl startled Jarod badly, slowly inching forward, Jarod sat down.  
  
"Thank you." Sydney said softly, noticing the confusion flash in his eyes.  
  
Reaching out his hand for the third time, he watched Jarod flinch under his touch. Grabbing a hold of his chin, Sydney turned it up to the light. Jarod had split his lip, a cut above his left eye, a huge gash on the right side of his forehead. The blood smeared across half of his face and throughout his hair and was still steadily seeping out. His cheek bone was bruised with the chance of being fractured.  
  
Letting go of his face, Sydney instructed Jarod to remover his tops. After five minutes, they were finally off. Jarod had a bruise from where his body slammed against the seat belt. His right collar bone was dislocated, also from the impact of the seat belt. The rest of his torso seemed fine, with the exception of a few scratches, his ribs were tender but nothing broken.  
  
Jarod's right wrist was swollen, and the pretender let out a strangled cry as Sydney applied pressure. It was badly broken, at the very least, multiple fractures. Sydney briefly wondered how Jarod got up into and out of the vents with his wrist.  
  
Bending down, Sydney gently took off Jarod's shoes and socks, paying attention to Jarod's sore ankle, which was concluded only to be a sprain. Noticing blood on his pants, Sydney asked Jarod to take them off. After a brief pause, Jarod obeyed. The older man noticed pieces of glass sticking into Jarod's flesh. Reaching into the first aid box that Sydney had grabbed form the bathroom, he pulled out a pair of tweezers. First pulling out the biggest pieces, Sydney then moved onto the smaller ones. It took what was left of Jarod's strength to stay still and not sway or fall over. He wished Sydney would have said to lie on the couch, instead of standing. After Sydney was sure all the glass was out, he got to work fixing the rest of his body.  
  
First wrapping both legs with bandages to help stop the bleeding, Sydney put Jarod's collar bone back in place and wrapped his wrist. Placing his right arm into a sling, making a mental note to take him to a hospital for an x-ray of the wrist and to get it plastered. Placing small gauzes over the scratches on Jarod's torso, he moved onto Jarod's face. Wiping the blood from the two small cuts and from the gash, Sydney noticed that the cut on his forehead would need to be stitched.  
  
Grabbing the bottom half of the pyjama's Sydney had grabbed for the injured man, he helped Jarod step into the too short pants. Turning Jarod around to guide him to the couch, Sydney took notice of the major bruising on his back. Siting Jarod down on the soft couch Sydney told Jarod what had to be done.  
  
"I need to stitch the gash on your forehead. I don't have any anaesthesia on me, and only a sewing needle and thread."  
  
"I can handle it, I deserve the pain anyway." Jarod responded sadly.  
  
"Do you want a drink first?" Sydney asked softly. He was beginning to regret his earlier harshness.  
  
Turning his head towards the psychiatrists, he shook his head. He didn't deserve to be numb, he deserved the pain, the punishment. Sydney saw the unshed tears that were sparkling in his protégé's eyes.  
  
Nodding, Sydney got to work. After sterilising the needed equipment in some Vodka Sydney had in his small corner bar he carefully stitched Jarod's wound. Jarod couldn't help but to flinch a few times when the needle threaded through the tender skin. The slight throb that was there before was replaced with a searing pain as the sharp needle pierced small holes in the soft skin, pulling cotton through it as the needle made its journey.  
  
Sydney quickly finished, wiping the fresh blood away. Walking into the kitchen, Sydney filled a glass of water and took it out to the man on his couch. Jarod gratefully took it. All the crying had strangely enough made him thirsty. He had never cried so much in his life. On a few occasions he had wept but never cried.  
  
#######  
  
Jarod had finally fallen asleep, granted it was a restless slumber, but it was still rest. Sydney sat in the armchair watching the rise and fall of Jarod's chest. Reflecting on his behaviour, especially the way he reacted towards his protégé, he was deeply ashamed.  
  
Jarod had just been through a very traumatic experience and all he had done was make it worse. Jarod had repeatedly reached out for help and comfort and what had he done? Push him away, isolated him, punished him for what happened.  
  
How was Sydney ever going to repair the damage done? The young man was terrified of him. Sydney still couldn't believe that he had called Jarod 'pretender', Jarod would never forgive him.  
  
But should Sydney ever forgive Jarod? He caused the car crash that killed Miss Parker. But on the other hand, the Centre had said it was Jarod. They do have a tendency to lie. But would Sam lie about something like that? He was loyal to Miss Parker and he didn't need another excuse to hate the pretender. Sighing, Sydney decide to wait for Jarod to wake up, ask what had happen, and if need be, beg for forgiveness.  
  
Sydney continued to watch Jarod sleep. The tortured man was obviously in the midst of a horrendous nightmare, sweat dripped down his injured face, his brow furrowed in painful emotions.  
  
#######  
  
%%%  
  
The vents seemed much smaller then they used to be, more constricting, trying to grab at him as he travelled through them. Did they always seem so small?  
  
Where was she? He had to find her!  
  
There!  
  
She's alive! She's alive! Thank god! She is breathing, alive!  
  
Relief flooded through his veins like a warm drug. Looking up with his eyes closed, and for the first time in his life, he said a silent prayer to the gods. Thank you, thank you, I owe you my life.  
  
The covering of the vent obscured his slightly blurred vision. They were cutting her! There's so much blood! Oh god! Oh god! So much blood. There was a hole in her perfect, soft, flat stomach. So much blood. Its ok, she's still breathing.  
  
She lay on that hard, cold, tortuous metal table. The sight of those tables would always haunt the man. Her arm hung off the table at an unnatural 90 degree angle. Her face was covered in almost one whole bruise. Her leg. Someone fix her leg! It must be hurting her like hell! Fix her leg!  
  
She will never forgive me! Never! Why did I run? Why didn't I stay?  
  
No, no, no! She's not breathing, oh god! Someone help her! Please god, help her! Make her breathe! Don't you dare give up on her! Please don't give up! You son of a bitch! Don't you dare read out the time of death! No... no... no... Parker NOOOOOOO!  
  
I have to get out. I have to go somewhere, anywhere! She's dead! I killed her! I ran and left her to die!  
  
Somewhere safe, somewhere comforting. Sydney. Sydney will understand. He will still want me! I'm so sorry!  
  
Dark comer, I need to curl up and disappear. I killed her.  
  
Sydney. I'm so sorry! I killed her!  
  
Sydney! Please don't yell at me! You don't understand... Why aren't you comforting me and telling me lies. I need you to lie. Tell me I didn't kill her. Please tell me it was her fault!  
  
Why didn't she just bring me in? I would have voluntarily walked through the front fucking doors!  
  
Sydney! I told her not to do it! You have to understand, I tried to stop her but she wasn't listening. She wanted to save me! Oh god I killed her! I pushed for 'little' Miss Parker, 'more like her mother' Miss Parker. And I found her! Sydney after all this time I finally found her, only for her to want to do what her momma wanted, and set me free! And now she's dead too! I'm so sorry!  
  
Sydney please forgive me! Please don't push me away! Please don't hate me! I need you Sydney! Please Sydney!  
  
Sydney don't leave me! Please don't walk out the door!  
  
I killed her! What have I done?  
  
Oh Jar-rod!! ...It can't be her. What's Miss Parker doing in Sydney's office? She's dead, she can't be here.  
  
Miss Parker?  
  
Why'd you kill me genius?! Was it so I'd stop chasing you? I was giving you your freedom, you didn't need to kill me! ... God she is so mad!  
  
I'm so sorry Parker, I didn't want you to die.  
  
I didn't die rat, you killed me remember? You ran away, with your god damn tail between your legs! Oh look, a few sweepers. Any other time you'd take them on. But nooo, this time you just had to run! You just left me there to die. You killed me! ... please Parker, don't yell at me!  
  
I'm so sorry! I didn't want to run, but they were there, I thought they would help you!  
  
Ha! When do sweepers ever help? They always screw things up!  
  
I didn't want to run. You made me promise. ... I'm begging you to understand, please Miss Parker, don't hate me!  
  
The first time in your life that you decide to follow an order, a request, and you choice to do so when I need you the most! I thought you would have stayed to help me. I thought you cared enough for me to want me to live. ... she is so sad! I made her sad. I never wanted her to be sad.  
  
Miss Parker, I do care for you, a lot. I wanted to stay, but I couldn't. I ran. I was a coward. I was so scared, so terrified. I didn't want you to die. But I couldn't stop myself! I ran!  
  
How could you let me die Jarod? ... Oh god! She's crying! I made her cry! The ice queen!  
  
Parker, please don't hate me! I'm so sorry! Please Parker... please!!  
  
%%%%  
  
#######  
  
"Parker. Please don't hate me! I'm so sorry! Please Parker... please!!"  
  
Sydney watched as the young man begged for Miss Parker's forgiveness as the tears cascaded down his red face.  
  
"Parker!!!!! Come back! Parker don't leave me!!!!" Jarod yelled as he bolted upright.  
  
Jarod's head swung from side to side as his eyes darted around the room. Fear and remorse filled the puppy dog browns. The sparkle had left, only leaving pain.  
  
"Are you alright Jarod?" Sydney asked softly.  
  
Jarod cringed at the use of his name, he isn't Jarod to Sydney anymore, only pretender. *This is a trick! He wants me to relax, to have a false sense of security, to believe that he doesn't hate me. I won't let him hurt me anymore. I am 'his' pretender, I will follow his orders but I won't let myself think he doesn't hate me! * Jarod thought angrily.  
  
"Fine, thank you." Jarod said with a distance in his voice.  
  
*The more impersonal I make this, the easier it will be on me. I don't want to lose two people I care for in one day but I can't let Sydney lay the guilt on, I can't handle it.*  
  
Sydney was taken aback at the lack of feeling Jarod was showing towards him. He only now realised how badly Jarod had needed him, and how badly he had let him down. He had some serious making up ahead of him.  
  
"Jarod I'm..." Sydney began only to be stopped by the man on his couch.  
  
"Don't! Just don't!"  
  
"Jarod, I realise..." Sydney tried again.  
  
"No! I won't let you destroy me anymore! I can't handle the anger, the guilt, the blame... the sadness from you. I am laying it on myself enough!"  
  
"Jarod, if you just..."  
  
"If I just what? I killed her and I am never going to be able to bring her back, even with all my 'talents' I can never bring her back. Her family will be hunting for me even more ruthlessly, never even so much as a second to breathe. I'm not even sure that I shouldn't just turn myself in. Broots is going to hate me forever, I took the only woman in his daughter's life away from her. I killed the only 'child' you loved, and if you even think of forgiving me, don't! I don't deserve forgiveness." Jarod's voice softened, showing the utter pain and sadness he was feeling, "Please just go and leave me alone. I will be out of here in a few minutes."  
  
"Your not going anywhere Jarod." Sydney said softly.  
  
Jarod looked into Sydney's eyes only to find fear, concern, worry. Sydney's face had returned to the beneficent face he remembered from his life at the Centre. A little distant maybe, but it was the face that Jarod would always love, the face that he would always associate with the word 'father'.  
  
"Jarod, I'm beyond sorry for how I treated you earlier. You must understand, I have known Miss Parker almost as long as I have known you. She was like a daughter to me." As soon as that comment came out of his mouth, it registered what Jarod said. I killed the only 'child' you loved.  
  
"Jarod, what did you mean, the only child I loved?"  
  
"It doesn't matter."  
  
"It does to me."  
  
In Jarod's minds eye, he had a quick flashback to when he was trying to save Broots life from Damon, only the wording was reversed.  
  
"Please Sydney, just leave it. For once in your life, don't analyse what I have done or said."  
  
"You don't believe that I don't think of you as a child, as my 'child'?"  
  
"What have you ever said or done to make me believe that I am anything other than a Pretender to you, especially the way you were acting towards me earlier. Dammit Sydney, I needed you." Jarod looked down at his hands and the rest was only a whisper "I always will."  
  
"Jarod, you must understand. I was angry, hurt. I was shocked, I just lost someone else I cared deeply for. Another innocent life lost because of the hell we are associated with. Sam told Broots and I that you were responsible. Despite my better judgment, I believed it somewhat. I saw what state she was in before the surgery and then I was told she died on the table. It all finally exploded when you said it was your fault. It reinforced the story we were told. I could not control myself, I didn't want to hurt you Jarod, I truly didn't."  
  
"Sydney, I'm incredibly sorry for what I have done! I didn't want her to die!" Jarod burst into tears. The realisation that this was all real, that Miss Parker truly wasn't going to walk through Sydney's front door with gun in hand, was sinking in.  
  
"I know Jarod, I know you are."  
  
"Oh Sydney! I can't bring her back! I can't! For all I'm good for, the one time I need my intelligence, my gifts, I can't use them!"  
  
"I know you want to bring her back, we all want her back. But it isn't going to happen, we have to accept this. Jarod..." Sydney called his name a little louder trying to get the younger man to look at him.  
  
He got what he wanted. Jarod looked up at Sydney with emotion filled eyes, tears trying to escape.  
  
"I'm sorry I called you pretender. You needed my help, comfort, my love. All I gave you was hatred, pain, guilt and blame. I am sorry, I will do what ever it takes for you to forgive me." Sydney said sincerely. Even if Jarod did cause the crash, Sydney did not want to lose another person he loved.  
  
"Forgive you?!" Jarod asked incredulous. "I'm the one that needs to beg for forgiveness, I'm the one that should be throwing themselves onto their knees grovelling for forgiveness!" Jarod said fighting back the tears, time to be strong.  
  
"Jarod, what did happen to cause the crash? As you know, the Centre doesn't exactly pride themselves on telling the truth."  
  
Jarod pondered the question for a while. What was he going to tell his mentor? If he told the truth, that Miss Parker willingly drove the car into the tree so Jarod would have a chance to escape, Sydney would never speak to him again. He didn't want to have Miss Parker forever haunting his dreams because he didn't tell Sydney the truth, after all she did, he would want her memory honoured. Or should he take the opposite blame, saying he caused the car to collide with the tree? A failed escape attempted, he panicked and tried to get control of the car, causing Miss Parker to lose control and to hit the tree. What should he say?  
  
"Jarod, please don't lie to me. I want the truth, I want to know what really happened."  
  
Jarod swallowed the fear and nervousness. He opened his mouth, and before he could do anything, the words came flooding out of his mouth. 


	7. I'm sorry

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.  
  
Authors note: Thanks heaps to Maestra and Jacci, couldn't have done it without you girls. Extra hugs for Jacci for staying up late all those nights ripping it apart trying to help. Lol, thanks.  
  
Chapter seven...  
  
His mouth had developed a mind of it's own, once opened there was no hope in god's green earth that it would shut again any time soon.  
  
All the words came out without thought or control. It was an animated story of fear, panic and pain. Jarod told Sydney of everything that had happened up until and causing the crash. He told how Miss Parker had told him to run, had made him promise to run. How he begged her not to do it. How she said that she didn't want to be the one responsible for his death at the Centre and how he had responded, about him making her death his responsibility and how he made her cry.  
  
Jarod didn't even realise that he was crying again until he had finished the story. He laid absolutely still, terrified that even the movement of his chest drawing in air would set Sydney off. He had shown how much of a coward he was, how he needed a woman to save him. He had told Sydney in every word known how he had killed his 'daughter'. He stayed frozen in place as he watched Sydney shed tears that he didn't know the older man even had.  
  
Jarod scurried further into the couch as soon as he saw Sydney move from his chair. Jarod's good arm shot in front of his face for protection as he saw Sydney move his hand towards his head. Jarod let out a soft whimper as Sydney softly ran his finger over the bandaged gash on his forehead. Lowering his arm from its place in front of his face, Jarod looked cautiously at Sydney.  
  
Sydney stared softly down at the injured man. The older man never noticed the silent tears falling onto Jarod's face, his young protégé had been through hell and back again. He had seen his best friend and his only love give her freedom, her life, to keep him out of the place that haunted him. Did Jarod not see, even though the circumstances were horrific, that Miss Parker had given Jarod the ultimate gift? The greatest, most precious thing she could give? She had given him not only his freedom, but her love, her very self to him. She had tried to protect him, tried to save him, tried to give the world back to him. Could Jarod not see this?  
  
Of course he couldn't see this. He was grief stricken, he was in shock, in pain. He was filled with guilt over the accident. Even though it had been her choice, and if Jarod was thinking correctly, he would have realised he couldn't have stopped her. That was like trying to stop the sun rising, the moon setting. She was too damn stubborn for her own good. And this stubbornness had killed her, not him. Jarod needed to understand that this was her choice, and he shouldn't blame himself over it. He should be cherishing her memory, that he should be glad that she is finally away from this hell she had to live - day in, day out. He was not responsible for her death and he needed to realise it.  
  
"Jarod, it is very late, and you have had a very hard day. I think you should try to rest. You only slept for an hour earlier before the nightmare woke you. Would you like to take a guest room?" Sydney asked softly. He would not force Jarod to do anything that he didn't want to do at the moment.  
  
Shaking his head no, Jarod carefully turned no his uninjured side and curled into the couch. Walking off, Sydney retuned a minute later with a pillow and a few blankets. Placing the pillow under Jarod's head, Sydney placed the blankets over the man taking note of the soft steady breathing that told him Jarod was already asleep.  
  
#######  
  
Jarod awoke late the next morning. He hadn't realised how tired he actually was, so tired in fact that he had a nightmare - even a dream free sleep. He heard Sydney bustling around the kitchen and the strong smell of coffee. Jarod threw back the blankets and went to sit up when a hand on his shoulder stoped him.  
  
"Stay where you are Jarod, I don't want you moving unless it is important." Sydney said, using his no non-sense tone Jarod vividly remembered from his years in the Centre.  
  
"I don't know how importantly you consider using the bathroom, but its pretty high on my important list." Jarod responded with a slight smile on his face. Sydney withdrew his hand with a small smile.  
  
Slowly bringing himself to a sitting position, Jarod swung his legs to the ground. His muscles screamed in protest, Jarod felt warm patches on his legs, looking down he saw red seeping through the pyjama pants. The deeper cuts on his legs had re-opened, ignoring it, Jarod used his good arm to push himself up. Jarod wasn't standing for too long, his sprained ankle giving way. Jarod collapsed back onto the couch with a grunt. Pushing away the offered hand from Sydney, Jarod tried again, not putting so much weight on his still sore ankle.  
  
He would not rely on any one any more, he would not let people help him in any way whatsoever. Look at what happened last time! If he had to shut Sydney out, close himself down emotionally, ignore all help and support offered, he would. He would not allow anyone else to be hurt or killed because he needed help. Not anymore, not ever. Miss Parker died because of his need for help, he wouldn't allow it to happen again!  
  
Determined to get to the toilet, Jarod pushed his wounded body further, ignoring the shooting pain making circuits through his body.  
  
#######  
  
Jarod had successfully made it to the bathroom. Once there, Jarod relieved himself and splashed some cold water onto his face. Looking into the mirror, Jarod saw how bad he actually looked. He had an ugly bruise on his check, his lip was still slightly swollen, the cut above his eye had formed a deep red scab then there was the bandage covering the stitched gash. Peeling it back gently, Jarod took note of how well Sydney had stitched it.  
  
But it was Jarod's look that scared him. He was ashen and pale, there were dark rings under his eyes, his eyes themselves held nothing. The man looking back at him from the mirror was a stranger. He had lost his joy, his reason to go on, his life and now the sparkle his eye had once held had gone too.  
  
Gently poking his ribs, Jarod was happy to know they weren't broken and were less tender than the night before. What worried him the most was his wrist. It was throbbing constantly, there was no doubt that it was broken, which meant he would have to go to a hospital for an x-ray and a cast. Jarod hated to be at hospitals as a patient, they were slow and inefficient, but he saw no other way. If it was a simple fracture he could fix it by himself. But the pain he felt, the grinding sounds that were made when he moved his wrist made him believe an x-ray and real doctor was needed.  
  
#######  
  
Jarod slowly made his way out to the kitchen, trying not to re-open anymore cuts on his legs or to put weight on his sore ankle.  
  
"Good morning Jarod. I see you made it to the bathroom by yourself." Sydney greeted.  
  
"Yes I did." Jarod said, still with a distance in his voice.  
  
Sighing, Sydney walked over to Jarod with a top. Handing Jarod the soft, flannel shirt, he asked Jarod to put it on.  
  
"I'll be here if you want help."  
  
Jarod took the shirt without answering and slowly took the sling off of his arm. Letting out a yelp of pain as he straightened his arm. Slowly Jarod pulled the sleeve over his injured wrist, careful not to bump it. Once it was over that arm, Jarod carefully slipped the other arm through.  
  
Sydney stood up to replace the sling, ignoring the glares Jarod sent towards him. Sydney continued to button up the shirt despite Jarod's protests saying he was capable.  
  
"Jarod, please don't push me away. I will not leave you alone, and you will not get me hurt by accepting my help, or hurt yourself. Jarod you will need help to get through this, to heal." Looking up into his eyes, Sydney went on, "Your not the only one hurting, others are to. They will need your help to work through the pain."  
  
"I couldn't stand it if I lost you too, Sydney." Jarod said softly looking down at his hands. "I know it is weak to need others, to need help, but I need you Sydney."  
  
"Jarod, it is not a weakness to need others nor to need help. I believe it was you who tried to get Miss Parker to understand that."  
  
"Look at what good it did her." Jarod snapped angrily.  
  
"Jarod, this wasn't your fault. It will do you good to realise that and stop blaming yourself.":  
  
"I can't Sydney! She died trying to save me, just like her mother!" Jarod wailed  
  
"Jarod, it wasn't your fault her mother died either. She died trying to get away, trying to save Ethan from the life that you lived."  
  
"I know that Sydney, I know that. It's just hard not to think that way. After all the time I was made to believe that she died trying to rescue me and the others. Then having been told my father killed her. I just can't stop thinking it was all my fault." Jarod said softly, and as a thought clicked in his mind, his head shot up to look at Sydney as he went on. "I kill everyone around me at some point or another! Kenny was executed in front of my eyes. He was shot dead to make me do a damned SIM! Kyle was murdered trying to save my life, he jumped in front of the bullet that was meant for me!" Jarod cried. "Even Nicholas was used to get to me. He could have been killed too Sydney! I'm a damn death magnet." Jarod wailed miserably.  
  
Sydney tried with all his will to keep the sympathy he felt for this young man inside. He really was a death magnet. Deciding to change the subject Sydney asked Jarod if he wanted some breakfast.  
  
"You need to eat Jarod. Your body needs to heal." Sydney said as he placed two pieces of toast in front of him.  
  
Unethustically, Jarod brought the toast up to his mouth and took a bite. The sweetness of the strawberry jam took over his mouth. He loved jam so much, the sweetness, the texture, the mix of fruit and sugar. Miss Parker would never have jam again.  
  
Sighing heavily, Jarod put the unfinished slice of toasted bread back down. Pushing up from the chair, Jarod hobbled to the couch and laid back down, turning to face the back of the couch, Jarod pushed himself as far into it as he could, trying to disappear.  
  
#######  
  
It was almost 10 am when there was a knock on the door. Glancing wearily at Jarod, who didn't bother to move, Sydney got up to answer the door. It could have been Sam, or Willie, or even Mr Lyle, and Jarod still wouldn't have moved.  
  
"Broots? Debbie?" Sydney asked some what surprised. "Come in."  
  
Opening the door all the way and stepping aside, Sydney welcomed the two into his home.  
  
"We just wanted to stop by, make sure your alright."  
  
"Thank you for your concern Broots. How are you doing Debbie?" Sydney asked softly.  
  
Debbie sniffled, "I miss her. Why did she have to leave us Sydney?"  
  
Jarod cringed on the couch. "She left because of me." Jarod said with out emotion.  
  
Broots glanced over to see Jarod laying comfortably on the couch.  
  
"Debbie, honey could you please follow Sydney to the study for a while. I need to speak to Jarod in private."  
  
"Daddy, I don't want to leave you. Please can I just stay."  
  
"Come on Debbie, I think your father needs to be alone for a few minutes. Why don't I start to read Little Women to you. You know how much Miss Parker loved that book."  
  
Debbie looked at a banged up Jarod, her angry father and a concerned Sydney. "Alright Sydney." she agreed.  
  
"That's a good girl."  
  
Jarod listened jealously to their exchange. They had seen the soft side of her that Jarod had longed to see since his escape. The side he had pushed to her to expose to him. The soft side of the Ice Queen, that none of them would ever see again. This young girl had spent only a night with Miss Parker, and within that one night, she had opened up. He had been trying since his escape to try and get in, to see the soft side of her that was so well guarded. It was eating him alive, if only he could have been more like Debbie.  
  
As soon as they were out of sight and ear shot, Broots advanced angrily on Jarod.  
  
"You killed her." Broots stated. He was furious at Jarod but it wasn't in his nature to vent anger on people. But Jarod was making it very hard not to vent on him.  
  
"I'm sorry Mr Broots..." Jarod hung his head I'm shame.  
  
"Don't give me that! You killed her! How could you risk her life for your freedom, I never thought you were that self centered and selfish." Broots said flatly.  
  
"You don't understand," Jarod tried to defend himself to some degree.  
  
"No I don't, I thought you cared for her, I thought that you wanted her to be safe and happy. Not dead!" Broots was getting madder by the second.  
  
"You killed her, you caused the car to crash, you tried to escape again and this time you took a precious gift from the world! You took Miss Parker away from me, away from my daughter, away from Sydney!" his voice was rising.  
  
Jarod realised that Broots believed the lie told to him, that Jarod had tried to get control of the car. Only problem at the moment was that Jarod didn't care. He was willing to sit there and take it. He did kill her, and finally someone was willing to punish him for it.  
  
Jarod's silence only proved to make Broots anger rise. He actually, for once in his life, wanted a fight, and Jarod was just taking it. Grabbing the collar of the flannel shirt Jarod donned, he pulled Jarod up into a sitting position. Broots stubbornly ignored the yelp of pain that Jarod made as he started to shake Jarod roughly.  
  
"Why did you kill her!"  
  
When Jarod didn't answer, Broots shook him harder again. Jarod screwed his face up in pain. This was hell on his newly re-located collar bone and his broken wrist.  
  
"I'm sorry Broots, I really am." Jarod said ever so quietly.  
  
Sighing, Broots let the man go.  
  
"I'm sorry Jarod." Broots said softly. "I know I shouldn't blame you. I know she was bringing you back to the one place in the world that you never wanted to step foot in again. I only work there, that's bad enough, who can blame you for wanting to escape?" Broots said softly, his anger spent. "It's just hard, Debbie isn't taking it well. I won't tell her it is your fault. She doesn't need to know. I just need to know why you ran instead of helping her."  
  
"I don't know Mr Broots, I panicked I guess. I ran for my life instead of helping my childhood friend. I'm so sorry." Jarod said, holding back the tears. No more crying.  
  
Turning on his heel, Broots left Jarod alone to seek out his daughter. Jarod sighed heavily and stood up. Time to leave. Slipping his bare feet into his shoes, Jarod slipped out of the house clad in ill fitting pyjama pants and a flannel shirt. Softly shutting the door, Jarod glanced back at the house. Sydney would be angry he left in his condition, but he couldn't handle another minute locked in the house with only his guilt to occupy him. Slowly Jarod turned away again and limped away from the house. 


	8. So melodramatic

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.  
  
Authors note: A big thanks to Jaccione, Maestra and Mercy, I wouldn't have gotten this far with out you girls. Extra hugs for Jacci, this is now basically your story too. Oh and a medal for Jacci, she did a wonderful on grammar for me. *Smiles* thanks. ^^^^ indicates the start and end of the song, sorry about the formatting, I can't fix it.  
  
Chapter eight...  
  
It had been two weeks since Jarod had left Sydney's house. Not one phone call, not one e-mail, not one clue, not one red notebook.  
  
He caught a bus heading west and crossed two state lines before he got off and sought out a hospital. The nurses and doctors badgered him for answers as to why he had days old injuries. But it was soon clear they wouldn't get an answer and left him alone.  
  
They had stitched a few of the deeper wounds on his legs and re-stitched the wound on his forehead. An x-ray showed his dislocation was healing nicely and showed that his wrist was indeed badly broken. It was snapped in three different places along his wrist and lower forearm. After it was plastered and he was bandaged back up, he left.  
  
The last week had been spent back in Blue Cove. He wanted to be close to her, to her presence so he went to her house. When he had gained access to her home, Jarod stood at the back door, frozen. He could feel her in the house, could smell the alcohol in the air from all of her drinking sessions. Walking through the kitchen to the lounge room, Jarod was assaulted with memories of Parker. Picking up the framed picture of a young Miss Parker standing next to her mother broke his heart. Softly placing the photo back down, Jarod wiped the tears away from his eyes.  
  
Walking up the stairs to her bedroom, Jarod tried to keep the pain, the grief inside. Entering her room, Jarod saw all of her most personal possessions. Her mother's paintings, the few gifts her father had given her, Tommy's shirts. Jarod heard small whimpers fill the room, it took a while to realise it was coming from his own mouth.  
  
Walking over to her chest of drawers, Jarod saw her collection of jewellery. Picking up a silver chain he had seen on her quite a few times, Jarod clipped it around his neck and gently placed his hand over it. Smelling her perfume tore at his heart, gardenias and vanilla. He had caught that scent when they were trapped in the bank.  
  
Making a small circle, Jarod turned around the room slowly, taking in all he could. Next to her bed Jarod caught a glimpse of red. Walking over, the pretender saw a dried, long stem, blood red rose standing in a vase. Reaching his trembling hands out to pick it up, he noticed a small white piece of paper sticking out of the vase. Pulling the paper out, Jarod let out a heart breaking sob. Opening the small note, Jarod read it softly,  
  
'Parker,  
Happy Valentines.  
J'  
  
He had sent this to her the year after Tommy's murder trying to let her know someone was out there, caring for her. She had kept it. She had kept his gift. Jarod felt a surge of rage go through him. He went over to her drawers, pulled them open and ripped her clothes out and threw them on the floor. Jarod pulled all the covers of her bed off and threw her pillows against the wall. After his short explosion, Jarod fell to his knees as heart-wrenching sobs escaped his body.  
  
Crawling over to her bed, Jarod hauled himself up. He lay upon the half torn off sheets and the various pieces of clothing he had thrown around the room and had landed on the bed. Grabbing the lone pillow laying on the bed, the only one he had not thrown, Jarod snuggled up to the pillow that still vaguely smelt like her. He lay there, with all of her pictures around him. Her hairbrush, her clothes, her files, scattered around him as he fell into an exhausted slumber.  
  
He only stayed one night though. He felt as if he was intruding. It was similar to when he snuck into her house while she was asleep or at work, to leave her presents. Only this time, he knew she wasn't going to come home and find his gifts. It was very unsettling, so as soon as he had woken and fixed the room, leaving no evidence of his stay behind, he left. The chill of the pre-dawn air sent shivers down his spine as he took one last look at the summer house, turning, he walked away.  
  
Jarod was aware that Sydney knew where he was. Jarod had caught Sydney tailing his car one day, as he drove through main street. But thus far, no contact had been made.  
  
For the last week, Jarod had spent his nights at the bar Parker had gone to after she found out Tommy had been murdered. He paid the owner fifty dollars to keep the same booth open for him. He sat there, drinking all night, every night.  
  
He needed to numb the pain. If he wasn't drunk or passed out somewhere, he was thinking about her. The last couple of days he had spent with her. What she had done for him. What she had sacrificed for his freedom. He was filled with 'what if's', what he could have done differently to save her life. It was eating him alive.  
  
He ordered another scotch malt on the rocks, neat. Miss Parker's favourite drink. This was the fifth drink he'd had within the hour. He never bothered to nurse them, just swallowed them in one hit, savouring the burning it made down his throat. It was ironic. He used to always scold Parker for her drinking habits, now he had formed the same ones.  
  
How would he ever be able to forgive himself? How would Broots ever forgive him? Or Debbie? Or Sydney? What a mess he had made. He would sell his soul, if it meant Miss Parker would come back to him.  
  
Jarod almost laughed at himself, *Sell your soul huh? Where was that sentiment when you were running away, like the coward that you are??*  
  
#######  
  
It had been three hours since he had arrived today, only 23:00, early really. Jarod had no plans for moving from this spot until he passed out and was thrown out of the bar. He was on his twelfth drink. He could barely sit up anymore. He was becoming a serious drunk.  
  
It took him a moment to process that someone had sat down across from him.  
  
"You need to go easy on the drinks or there will be major repercussions for you in the morning." the voice was oddly familiar, yet strangely different.  
  
"I won't feel it. I don't feel anything anymore." Jarod said sadly to the stranger.  
  
"So melodramatic." She slurred slightly, telling Jarod that this lady had been drinking too.  
  
"What is it to you anyway?" He asked getting annoyed.  
  
"Jarod, look at me." She ordered softy, yet forcibly.  
  
Jarod's head shot up at this lady, she knew his name. How? No-one except the Centre knew him around here. Could the Centre be here to finally take him back?  
  
Once Jarod's eyes focused on the women, he gasped, his hand shooting up to his mouth.  
  
"Parker? It can't be, you're dead. I saw you die. How can you be alive?"  
  
"Excuse me?" She asked confused.  
  
"You're not her." Jarod said sadly as her confusion told his tired brain that she didn't know what he was going on about. "Why did you call me Jarod if you're not her?"  
  
"I'm sorry, but I didn't call you by your name. I don't even know your name." The woman said sadly, this man was in so much pain.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. You just remind me of some one special I lost recently. I could have sworn you said my name. I really must be losing it." Jarod apologised as he threw back the last of his scotch.  
  
A smile spread across the lady's face as she took in what he said. Looking at the worn man, she was overcome with how beautiful he was, even if he was deadly pale, unnaturally thin and had a half grown beard. Ordering another drink for the both of them, she told him without words that she was sticking around.  
  
After two more drinks, the bartender decided to leave them with the bottle. Both people had been through nearly a bottle and a half of scotch each and were merrily laughing now. The death of the loved one that seemed to have made the man depressed earlier had left his thoughts.  
  
#######  
  
The bar had the local radio station playing in the back ground, and the couple decide to dance. Not like they could walk, let alone dance, but they tried anyway.  
  
The song was coming through the speakers loudly, moving the few people that were dancing softly.  
  
^^^^^  
  
How do I get through one night with out you?  
  
If I had to live with out you  
  
What kind of life would that be?  
  
Oh I, I need you and my arms need you to hold  
  
You're my world, my heart, my soul  
  
If you ever leave  
  
Baby, you would take away everything good in my life  
  
And tell me now  
  
How do I live with out you  
  
I want to know  
  
How do I breathe without you  
  
If you ever go  
  
How do I ever ... ever survive  
  
How do I  
  
How do I  
  
How do I live  
  
^^^^^  
  
Jarod clung tightly to the body pressed against him, afraid that another person would leave him alone in the dark. His eyes started to sting with the unshed tears.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Without you, there'd be no sun in my sky  
  
There would be no love in my life  
  
There would be no world left for me  
  
And I, baby I don't know what I would do  
  
I'd be lost if I lost you  
  
If you ever leave  
  
Baby you will take away everything real in my life  
  
And tell me now  
  
How do I live with out you  
  
I want to know  
  
How do I breathe without you  
  
If you ever go  
  
How do I ever ... ever survive  
  
How do I  
  
How do I  
  
Oh How do I live  
  
^^^^^  
  
Jarod couldn't stop the sob that escaped his lips nor the tears that started to cascade down his cheeks. She tried to step back to see what was wrong with the man, but he held on to her for dear life.  
  
"Jarod, what's wrong?"  
  
"Don't leave me, please don't leave me Parker!" Jarod sobbed. "I'm so sorry. I killed you! I'm so sorry Parker." Jarod cried out. He was drunk enough not to care who he said it to, he just needed Parker to know how sorry he was.  
  
^^^^^  
  
Please tell me baby  
  
How do I go on  
  
If you ever leave?  
  
Well baby you'd take away everything  
  
Need you in me  
  
Baby don't you know your everything good in my life  
  
And tell me now  
  
How do I live with out you  
  
I want to know  
  
How do I breathe without you  
  
If you ever go  
  
How do I ever ,,, ever survive  
  
How do I  
  
How do I  
  
Oh How do I live  
  
How do I live with out you?  
  
How do I live with out you? Baby  
  
How do I live with out you?  
  
^^^^^  
  
"Hey, hey, it's alright. Come on let's go back to your place and have another drink." she offered.  
  
Jarod slowly let the women go as soon as he realised she wasn't going to leave him. If Jarod was a litter more sober, he would have been ashamed and embarrassed at his out burst, but the amount of alcohol in his system made it impossible to care.  
  
They slowly walked from the bar back to the rented house Jarod was staying at. It was a total mess, papers and files were spread over the floor and table in the kitchen, clothes disposed of on the floor all around the house, empty bottles left on the floor.  
  
Jarod went straight to the fridge and took out two beers. He opened both and offered one to his guest.  
  
Neither drinking nor the talking lasted for long. Before either knew what was happening, they were both naked in Jarod's bed. 


	9. Wakey, wakey rise and shine

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.  
  
Authors note: A big thanks to Jaccione, Maestra and Mercy, I wouldn't have gotten this far with out you girls. Extra hugs for Jacci, this is now basically your story too. Oh and a medal for Jacci, she did a wonderful job on grammar for me. *Smiles* thanks. %%% is for flashbacks.  
  
Warning: Implied rape.  
  
Chapter nine...  
  
Jarod awoke to the sun on his face and a pounding headache. Never in his life had he felt such horrendous pain. Opening his eyes almost killed him, a sharp stabbing pain ripped through his temples. This had been by far the worst hangover of his life. Granted, that's what he thought every new morning, but this was nauseating. Letting out a moan, Jarod rolled over.  
  
There next to him laid a slender, porcelain skinned brunette. Trying to remember what had happened only caused more pain to zap through his head. One thing for sure was that things had gotten kinky. She was cuffed to the headboard. Grabbing the key that lie on the table next to him, Jarod gently leant over and uncuffed her hands.  
  
It was probably better to have left her cuffed. The mysterious woman moaned as she brought her hands up to cover her face. Rolling over she felt the warmth of another human body. Removing her hands, she gasped in horror as she saw Jarod next to her. Jarod scooted back and fell off the bed in shock.  
  
"M-Miss P-Parker??" Jarod asked in a state of shock as he sat up on the floor.  
  
"Jarod?" Miss Parker asked just as bewildered. "What the hell happened?"  
  
"M-Miss P-Parker??" Jarod asked again. He could feel the stinging in his eyes, letting him know tears would soon be here.  
  
"I think we have already established this fact. Now get back up on the bed and cover yourself up." Miss Parker said with disgust.  
  
Jarod looked down at his body and realise he was sitting on the floor naked. Quickly climbing back onto the bed, Jarod covered himself with the sheets as he felt his face warm with embarrassment.  
  
"Miss Parker?" Jarod asked more confident. "What are you doing here? How are you here? Why are you here?"  
  
"I don't know how I got here. What did you do to me rat boy?" Miss Parker hissed.  
  
"It's really you!" Jarod said fighting back the tears.  
  
"Who else did you think I was? The damn tooth fairy?" she growled.  
  
Jarod practically jumped on top of her as he hugged her tightly. Tears fell from his eyes; Jarod didn't bother to hide his joy that she was alive. He clung to her, weeping both from happiness and relief.  
  
"Get off of me!" Miss Parker growled. "What is the matter with you? You're acting like I died, for Christ sakes."  
  
Jarod backed off quickly as he stared at her in confusion. Didn't she know what happened?  
  
"Miss Parker, you did die. I saw you on the table. I saw the failed attempts at bringing you back. Sydney and Broots were there too. Sydney was told. You've been dead for just over two weeks now."  
  
Miss Parker saw the seriousness in Jarod's face, he wasn't kidding. She had died on the table. Why didn't daddy tell her?  
  
"Oh..." was all she could get out. She had died. Jarod had seen her die. Sydney and Broots had been told, Debbie would think she was dead too.  
  
Shaking her head, Miss Parker tried to comprehend what she was told. But all her mind would focus on was her and Jarod sitting on the bed together... naked.  
  
"What happened last night?" she asked the still smiling Jarod.  
  
She couldn't get angry at this grin he wore, it held nothing annoying or arrogant. He was thrilled, beyond joy, he was crying for her. He was so damn happy to see her alive. His smile told her how truly grateful he was to see her again.  
  
The smile disappeared as she saw him trying to bring up memories.  
  
"Drinking, that's for sure." Jarod said as he massaged his temples.  
  
"You really are a genius." Miss Parker said with mock surprise before she continued. "I remember dancing with someone I knew, that was you I presume."  
  
"I remember that. And stumbling towards my front door... We must have easily polished off a bottle maybe two each."  
  
"I remember being handcuffed to the bed. Why was I hand cuffed Jarod?" Miss Parker asked accusingly.  
  
"I don't remember." He answered honestly.  
  
%%%%%%%  
  
"Jarod, no, don't." Miss Parker pleaded in a desperate tone as she tugged on the cuffs.  
  
"No...no... no... no..."  
  
%%%%%%%  
  
Grabbing the cuffs that lay forgotten on the bed, Miss Parker quickly cuffed Jarod's good wrist to the head board.  
  
"What are you doing Parker?" Jarod asked confused, trying to mask the fear he felt forming in his stomach.  
  
"What did you do to me Jarod?" She asked in a deep, dark growl.  
  
"What are you talking about Miss Parker?" Jarod was getting worried. His delight at seeing Miss Parker alive disappeared at her hard look.  
  
"I was telling you no last night. I was cuffed to the bed. What did you do?" She asked, showing her hurt and anger.  
  
"Miss Parker, I would never ..." Jarod couldn't bring himself to say the word.  
  
Jarod was assaulted by a memory of his own.  
  
%%%%%%%  
  
"Stay still! I won't have to hurt you if you stay still." Jarod said to the cuffed woman on the bed as she squirmed underneath his body.  
  
"Just stay still, alright." Jarod had ordered her.  
  
%%%%%%%  
  
Miss Parker saw the fear spread across his face.  
  
%%%%%%%  
  
"Jarod, no, don't." the woman said underneath him, tugging on the cuffs.  
  
"No... no... no... no..."  
  
%%%%%%%  
  
"Oh god! What have I done?!" Jarod whispered to himself.  
  
"Jarod, you raped me!" Miss Parker said jumping off the bed, pulling the only sheet with her, leaving Jarod sitting on the bed naked. Quickly wrapping the sheet around her naked form, Miss Parker saw red and purple marks on her wrists from the cuffs.  
  
"No! I couldn't! I would never hurt you Miss Parker!" Jarod pleaded. How could he have done this to her, to anyone?!  
  
"What did you want from me Jarod?! Did you want control, or did you want to hurt me?!" Miss Parker growled in a rage.  
  
"No! Miss Parker, please just try to remember more!" Jarod pleaded. This wasn't happening.  
  
"I have all the evidence I need." She said thrusting her hands under his face. "How do you explain these marks then wonder-boy? Huh? If you didn't do anything to me, why did you have me cuffed to the god damn bed?!"  
  
The pained look on Jarod's face told her that he remembered nothing that he would be able to use in his defence. Something sparkling in the light caught her eye. Lowering her glance, she saw the silver chain on the naked man's neck. Reaching over, she grabbed it in her fist and ripped it off of Jarod.  
  
Jarod flinched when it was torn from his neck. Looking up at her, he saw Miss Parker holding it in her hands with a horror stricken face.  
  
"It was you? You were the one in my house?!" Miss Parker asked in a whisper. "You were the one that went through my drawers? It was you who stole my necklace!" her voice had raised to a yell.  
  
"It wasn't like that Miss Parker. I was upset. I wanted to be close to you, your presence."  
  
"And you thought you would achieve this by going through my lingerie drawer!!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Then why did you go through my things?!" He wasn't helping his case here.  
  
"I got mad... I started to throw things around." Jarod whispered eyes down cast.  
  
"So you thought you would become closer to my 'presence' by trashing my house?!"  
  
"No. I was... I got..." Jarod gave up. This was useless.  
  
Miss Parker sighed heavily, "After I saved your life too Jarod." As soon as she said that aloud, she realised how much a betrayal this was and just like that, her anger was back. "I died for you as well. How could you do this to me?! Jarod how?!" Miss Parker hissed she couldn't hide her hurt no matter how hard she tried.  
  
"Please Miss Parker! I wouldn't have hurt you in this way, or in any other!" Jarod pulled frantically at the cuffs, his fear showing.  
  
"Jarod..." Miss Parker whispered as she turned, grabbed her discarded clothes and walked into the ensuite.  
  
"Miss Parker...wait! Please!" Jarod yelled as the door closed shut.  
  
#######  
  
When Miss Parker emerged from the bathroom, she was clad in her 'armour'. Her power suit was crumpled from its stay on the floor, but it served its purpose. She felt like a high level Centre operative again. Pulling her ice queen façade over her, she advanced on a silently crying Jarod. Picking up the house phone, Miss Parker dialled the familiar number.  
  
"Daddy." Miss Parker greeted her father with out breaking eye contact with Jarod.  
  
"Daddy. I need a sweeper team here ASAP. I have Jarod."  
  
She paused to listen to her father.  
  
"No daddy, he isn't going to be going anywhere but Raines and Lyle's playground."  
  
She paused again, and then continued.  
  
"I don't know where we are."  
  
Another pause as her father growled at her.  
  
"Daddy, I was in a ... strange situation last night that I will explain when we get back. I don't have my car so send some sweepers, and trace this line. I'll hang up in ten minutes."  
  
Miss Parker ended the conversation as she placed the handset onto the table, leaving the line open.  
  
"Miss Parker, please, you don't want to do this!" Jarod said desperately.  
  
"And why don't I? Last time I let you go I got killed. And look at how you repaid me? You raped me Jarod! I will never forgive you for that lab-rat!"  
  
"Miss Parker, just think about it. What if the memoires we have are wrong? Its just a small memory, maybe there was a reason as to why you were saying no that wasn't to do with me forcing my self on you!" Jarod visibly shuddered at what he said.  
  
"Face the facts Jarod. Take responsibility for what you did to me." Miss Parker hissed.  
  
"And you think sending me back to hell and locking me up for the rest of my life is fair?" Jarod asked in disbelief.  
  
"Why not? That's what normally happens to a rapist." Miss Parker cocked her head to the side slightly. "Looks like the indecent assault on the warrant is now true. You're a true blue criminal Jarod. Congratulations." Miss Parker growled coldly.  
  
"But I didn't do it!" Jarod cried.  
  
"You admitted it already!" Miss Parker said softly as she walked over to hang up the phone.  
  
"I know we are still in Blue Cove, so that will give us about ten minutes before they arrive."  
  
"Can I at least get something to wear?" Jarod asked.  
  
*I deserve what I am given. First I kill her, and when I find out she is still alive, I rape her! What have I done!*  
  
Miss Parker picked up his jeans and threw them at him.  
  
"There, be grateful you have something to wear!" Miss Parker hissed cruelly.  
  
Jarod looked forlornly at the black jeans lying at the foot of the bed. How was he going to get them on?  
  
"Miss Parker, you have no idea how ..." Jarod began.  
  
"Stow it rat. I don't want to hear it. I will supervise them as they cart your sorry arse back home then I'm out of your life forever."  
  
#######  
  
It wasn't long before they both heard the screeching of car tires and slamming of doors.  
  
"Please Miss Parker, don't do this to me!" Jarod begged as he desperately pulled the cuffs.  
  
"And no to you, when I say it, means what?" Parker hissed coldly.  
  
As the door to the house opened, and sweepers flooded the bedroom, Jarod looked one last time at the woman he had so desperately wanted to be alive again and the woman he so badly violated. 


	10. Meet the new kid on the block

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.  
  
Authors note: A big thanks to Jaccione, Maestra and Mercy, I wouldn't have gotten this far with out you girls. Extra hugs for Jacci, this is now basically your story too. Oh and a medal for Jacci, she did a wonderful job on grammar for me. Smiles thanks. Thanks to Mercy for letting me use her name.  
  
Chapter ten...  
  
Jarod's heart rose up in his throat, his pulse quickened, his eyes widened in fear. They were here already! That can't have been ten minutes.  
  
Jarod stretched his arm out as far as he could to retrieve his jeans, his only protection from utter humiliation. His face wrinkled in concentration, as if by his sheer will, they would materialise in his hand. After what seemed an eternity, Jarod finally got a hold of the jeans by his index and middle finger. Quickly yanking them up to him. Jarod tried frantically to put them on as Miss Parker looked on coldly.  
  
Why was this so hard?  
  
Jarod heard the front door being kicked down, and the footsteps of the numerous sweepers filling the house.  
  
Jarod got the pants over his feet. Lifting his hips awkwardly off of the bed, Jarod tried to pull the material over his hips. The cast, ending at his knuckles, didn't allow much movement of the fingers which meant getting a firm hold of anything was impossible.  
  
As the bedroom door was thrown open, Jarod shot a glance at Parker.  
  
Parker could have burst into tears right there and then. The look on Jarod's face was sending waves of doubt throughout her. He was petrified, the utter terror in his eyes and on his face knocked her back. The apology for what he had done to her was clear as day, he was almost begging for her forgiveness. She started to doubt that he really did rape her. This was Jarod after all. But the memories of her cuffed to the bed and telling him no wouldn't leave her mind. Mentally shaking her head, Miss Parker pushed any doubt she had away.  
  
Jarod froze, stopped in mid-motion of pulling his pants on, Miss Parker even saw his chest cease its task of in taking air. Redirecting her gaze from the pretender to who ever walked into the room.  
  
"Congratulation Sis, you finally caught the lab-rat." Lyles smug voice greeted.  
  
"What do you want Lyle?" Miss Parker asked in a bored tone.  
  
"To supervise the return of our wayward pretender."  
  
Lyle tilted his head to the side and sniffed the air.  
  
"Booze and sex Miss Parker?" Lyle asked confused. "What did you get up two last night?" glancing across for the first time towards Jarod, Lyle continued. "And a naked experiment in the bed. Tsk tsk, what did you do?"  
  
Miss Parker didn't answer verbally, she just shot an accusing look at Jarod, who turned his head away from the stare in shame and disgust.  
  
"Parker, what happened?" Lyle asked, surprising even himself at the caring and concerned tone his voice took.  
  
"Look Lyle, I will discuss it when we are safely back at the Centre and daddy is around. It's not something I want to say twice." Miss Parker said somewhat softly to her younger brother.  
  
"Alright." Lyle said, this time faking the concern.  
  
What ever happened between his sister and the rat could be exploited, ohh was he excited. It didn't take a genius to see what had gone on last night. Lyle was sure that he could play on it, make the pretender pay dearly. This was going to be fun. He couldn't let Parker know how excited at the prospect he was, so he pretended to still be the concerned brother.  
  
Lyle turned towards one of the sweepers that had filled the room.  
  
"Go get Sam." Lyle ordered, only getting this twit because of his sister. He would make her happy until Jarod was in his hands. Nodding, the lower level sweeper left.  
  
Jarod gulped down the fear and dread that had formed in his throat. This wasn't going to be good.  
  
_"Stay away from her! If I find out you slept with her again I will personally drag your sorry ass to Raines himself. Am I understood?"  
_  
The fact was that he would most likely be going to Raines anyway, so the threat itself was invalid now. But Jarod had remembered the fury and hatred in the bulky man's eyes, the conviction they held. If Sam couldn't punish him by sending him to Raines, Jarod was sure he would find some other way.  
  
Sam had entered the room shortly after the original sweeper left.  
  
Jarod noticed Sam sniff the air similar to what Lyle had done. His eyes narrowed in rage at Jarod. There was no way he was getting out of a good bashing and that was just for the sex. Jarod was as good as dead as soon as the sweeper found out that he had raped Parker.  
  
Jarod anxiously looked back between Sam and the cuff holding him to the bed. He needed to get out of here, he wouldn't survive for long if he didn't. Jarod even tried yanking the cuffs, in the hopes that they would somehow come loose off the bed frame.  
  
"Mr Lyle?" Sam said, his gaze never wavering from the naked pretender. His jeans had never made it to their destination and sat mid thigh. This only confirmed to Sam what had happened earlier.  
  
"Make the genius decent, then find a way to restrain him until we get back to the Centre." Lyle ordered as he glanced towards the cast on his right arm.  
  
"Yes Mr Lyle." Sam said, allowing his malice towards Jarod show in his voice.  
  
"Come on Parker, lets leave Sam to his job." Lyle said kindly, taking Parker by her arm and leading her out.  
  
Jarod sat stunned on the bed. Lyle was concerned for her? How could a heartless machine be worried for the well being of his sister? He had caused Parker to accept help from Lyle, what had he done?  
  
As soon as the door shut and the only people left in the room were Jarod, Sam and two sweepers, Sam advanced on the pretender.  
  
"Luke, pull it's jeans up. We wouldn't want him scaring the children in the Centre, now would we?" Sam sneered.  
  
One way to get at Jarod was kids. He was exactly like the tech on his boss's team. He hated to see kids exploited, harmed, trapped. He would have hated the fact that Sam was speaking of the innocent children still locked up in that hell-hole.  
  
"Yes sir." Luke obeyed the order.  
  
Quickly walking over to the left side of the bed and the practically naked man, he leant over to help Jarod pull the jeans on. Jarod would not go back with out a fight. So when the sweeper got close enough, Jarod threw the best punch he could with his plastered right hand. Luke stumbled back, and looked stunned at Jarod. This was all Sam needed to lay into the genius.  
  
Coming up behind Jarod, Sam grabbed his arm and swung it back, knocking it hard into the head board. There was a satisfying crack and a loud bang that was made when the plaster impacted with the frame. Jarod let out a holler of pain.  
  
Wrapping his hand around the pretender's throat, never letting Jarod's arm go, Sam shoved him against the headboard. Jarod gasped for air but was unable to get any.  
  
Leaning in, Sam spoke softly, "You are going to let Luke dress you. I am going to restrain you correctly, then we are heading back home. I don't want any trouble from you. Don't give me yet another reason to hurt you."  
  
Keeping his hand wrapped around wonder-boy's throat, Sam nodded to Luke to come and dress Jarod. Jarod allowed the sweeper to pull his jeans on and to do up the three button fly. Jarod was acutely aware of the fingers brushing against his skin as he was covered up. Jarod pushed the fear out of his mind, nothing would happen to him.  
  
#######  
  
Jarod's arms were pulled roughly behind his back. Sam fastened some cable wire to his good left wrist and brought it up to be fastened to his right arm, just above the cast. The plastic wire was tightened to the point that Jarod could feel his right arm below the start of the cast growing numb. His left wrist felt like it would snap in two if he moved it the wrong way. Snapping shackles around his ankles, Jarod was shoved forcefully out of the bedroom. The two lower sweepers followed with his duffel bag and DSA case.  
  
When the direct sunlight hit Jarod's eyes, it was almost like daggers piercing his eyeballs, causing him to squeeze them shut, trying to keep his headache to a minimum. Every thing has a consequence. Jarod didn't see the crack in the foot path heading towards the road. His foot caught and Jarod went down with a loud thud. For once, he wished the sweepers had been gripping his arms. He wouldn't have fallen then and caused pain to zap through his body.  
  
Miss Parker watched from the car as Jarod shut his eyes in an attempt to stop the sun blinding him. Only for him not to see the visible crack in the concrete and him fall face first. She smiled coldly at the pretender. He deserved all he got, after he raped her.  
  
Sam had to pull the pretender up from off the hard ground. His nose had started to bleed and his check had been grazed. Poor guy was having one hell of a bad day.  
  
#######  
  
The ride back to the Centre had been made in uncomfortable silence. Jarod was sitting in between Lyle and Parker. His arm's still fastened uncomfortably behind him, the seat belt pulled across his body.  
  
Every couple of minutes, Jarod would feel one of them stare at him callously. Jarod ignored the looks as he stared unblinkingly out the front windscreen.  
  
Slowly, the Centre started to come into view, the imposing building loomed just in front of them. Jarod shifted in his seat, the building created icicles of fear in his belly. The frightened man visibly paled at the site of the building and looked as if he would throw up any second. The closer the car came to the enormous structure, the more the man squashed in between the two people fidgeted.  
  
"Sit still wonder-boy." Lyle ordered as Jarod swallowed the rising trepidation.  
  
It wasn't long before they pulled up at the Centre.  
  
#######  
  
Jarod was violently thrown to the hard floor after the plastic wire was cut from him, effectively releasing him from the restraints. Sam had gotten out the fire hose and turned it on, aiming it at the pretender. The high- pressured, ice-cold water pelted down on Jarod's body. The force of it made it impossible for Jarod to stand up off the ground, to move away from the back wall, and escape the assault.  
  
After five minutes, Sam gratefully turned the water off. Jarod laid in the corner that he had backed himself into and panted heavily. Jarod was flooded with memories of the last time he was held captive inside the Centre's walls.  
  
"Get to your feet pretender." Jarod was ordered.  
  
Jarod laid on the ground defiantly, trying to control the violent shaking, refusing to do as he was told. He would not give them any satisfaction.  
  
"I said get to your feet!" Sam snarled at the stubborn man.  
  
When it was apparent that Jarod wasn't going to do it, Sam sent two of the four sweepers in to get him up.  
  
The two bulky, mindless, heartless men gripped his biceps painfully and yanked him up from the wet ground.  
  
Sam threateningly stalked towards the dripping wet man. Standing toe to toe, his mouth at Jarod's ear, the sweeper warned,  
  
"You will do as your told. Otherwise there will be repercussions. Am I understood rat?"  
  
Jarod would not budge.  
  
The sense of relaxation Sam felt after he had beaten Jarod was quite astounding. Jarod laid on the ground curled into a tight ball breathing heavily, his eyes squeezed shut. Sam had used all the talents that he could, belting Jarod senseless with minimum marks. He didn't particular want the Tower to know what he had done with out authorisation.  
  
"Bring him."  
  
#######  
  
Jarod was dragged to an elevator and shoved in. The four sweepers and Sam filled in to the car after him, blocking any attempt at escape. Jarod watched as the number counted up.  
  
7... 6... 5 ... 4... 3... 2... 1...  
  
The lobby? Jarod thought confused. Why were they risking going to ground level?  
  
Jarod was pulled out of his thoughts and the elevator roughly. The captive was lead through the lobby and ground floor, two sweepers holding on strongly to his arms. Everyone stopped and stared at the half naked, wet, restrained man.  
  
Jarod hung his head low. This was humiliating. They were practically showing off the catch of the day.  
  
Come one, come all! See the world's greatest pretender dripping wet, beaten up, restrained. Chance of a life-time! Bring the kids and let them gawk at the genius!  
  
"What is the meaning of this?" A softly accented voice spoke, stopping their journey.  
  
Jarod's head shot up at the voice. Sydney!  
  
"Step out of the way sir, we are expected in a meeting." Sam said trying to move this along.  
  
"Not until I know what is happening. When was Jarod brought in?"  
  
"Miss Parker will debrief you after the meeting sir."  
  
"Sydney! I didn't mean it!" Jarod cried.  
  
With out another word, they pushed past Sydney and carried on. Jarod turned the best he could to look back at Sydney.  
  
"I didn't mean it Sydney, please believe me!"  
  
Jarod was propelled forward, he had no choice but to go with the sweepers. Jarod kept his eyes trained on the floor while they continued to walk through the various corridors. He had heard a few gasp of shock, a few "Look at it.", a few "Poor guy, must be one that lives here.".  
  
When they came to a sudden stop, Jarod looked up.  
  
The tower elevator! What are we doing here!  
  
The doors opened with a 'ping', Jarod was forced in, the sweepers having difficulty with the fighting man. As they rode up, Jarod started to panic.  
  
No... no... no... This isn't good. I don't want to go to the Tower, just take me to some inhuman cell on SL 27!  
  
#######  
  
_"Jarod, what were you doing in there again? I gave you strict orders not to go into the record room and you bluntly disobeyed me!" Sydney said with a hint of anger in his voice.  
  
"But Sydney, I want to know who I am! You won't tell me, so I went looking for my answers inside the Centre!" Jarod growled back rebelliously.  
  
"Jarod, I warned you that you would be in a great deal of trouble if you went in there again." Sydney said then turned to the two sweepers with a firm grip on the pretender's arms. "Take him to the Tower, don't allow him to go into the front lobby."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Jarod's stomach dropped at the sound of the Tower. His throat tightened with fear, his mouth dried. Jarod put up a good struggle but his younger frame was still a long way away from the bulkiness the sweepers bodies were.  
  
"No Sydney! Please! I won't do it again! I promise." Jarod begged as the sweepers pulled him away. "Sydney!!"  
  
The sweepers followed their orders. They dragged a kicking and screaming Jarod to the Tower elevator steering clear of the front lobby and windows.  
  
When the elevator reached the top, the doors automatically opened. The two older men pulled an unwilling pretender to the door at the end of the hallway. Opening it up, they shoved the terrified young man in.  
  
"On your knees 302!" the sweeper ordered, and when Jarod didn't do it, they kicked the back of his knees. His legs buckled and Jarod fell to the ground with a heavy thud. "Stay."  
  
Jarod meekly looked around. The room was painted all white, the ground was hard, cold, white tiles. The only piece of furniture in the room was an antique business oak desk and high back leather chair.  
  
Sitting behind the impressive desk was a man around Sydney's age. Picking up some files in front of him, the man spoke.  
  
"Project 302, Pretender programme." Looking at Jarod, he commanded, "302, state your name."  
  
After swallowing a few times to try and generate some saliva, Jarod spoke.  
  
"I-It's J-Jarod s-sir." Jarod stuttered nervously.  
  
"As I understand, you broke a direct order to stay out of the record room. You were also caught in there on two other occasions. Am I correct?" the man asked in a deep, strong voice.  
  
"Y-Yes s-sir."  
  
"I see then. Are you aware of the punishment for breaking a direct order?"  
  
"No s-sir. I have n-never gone against an order b-before." Jarod said, hoping to lessen his punishment because it was his first time.  
  
"I understand. Take him to isolation for a week. No food, no light, one litre of water for the week, no visitors. After his isolation, have him beaten by Maxwell, no weapons are to be used. Am I understood?"  
  
"Yes Mr Parker." The sweepers said loyally.  
  
"Get to your feet 302!"  
  
They had to haul a stunned Jarod from the ground. All he did was break into the record room. He had never disobeyed anyone before. They couldn't do this to him for something so small as what he had done! And by Mr Parker! Miss Parker's father! How could they do this!  
_  
#######  
  
The jolt that was made when the elevator came to a stop brought Jarod out of his memory. They were in the Tower. If isolation and a beating was the punishment for breaking a direct order and entering the record room, Jarod could only imagine what would happen to him this time.  
  
The sweepers hauled the now trembling man out of the car and pulled the struggling pretender down the hallway. Jarod saw the door at the end of the hallway and started to fight in earnest now. It made little difference, the sweepers were bigger, stronger and it was 5-1, odds on there side. It didn't stop Jarod from trying but. He managed to kick one of the sweepers that was slightly in front of him in the legs, bringing him down. Jarod growled deeply from the back of his throat in frustration as the remaining three sweepers and Sam pounced on him. It took less then two minutes to get the pretender under their control again.  
  
They made their way to the closed door, Sam stopped them and opened the door slowly. Jarod was shoved in roughly as the four sweepers and Sam followed.  
  
Once Jarod had stabilised his footing, he cautiously looked around. After 20 years, nothing had changed. The walls were still blindingly white, the floor was still cold, hard, white tiles. There was still the antique desk and the high back leather chair.  
  
In it sat Mr Parker, just like before. Jarod felt a hand push him down to the ground aggressively.  
  
"On your knees 302!" Sam ordered.  
  
Jarod had no other choice but to comply. Jarod looked up from his spot on the ground at Miss Parker and Mr Lyle, who were standing on one side of the room, both staring down at him coldly. Standing on the opposite side of the room, Mr Raines looked on with amusement.  
  
Mr Parker cleared his voice, gaining everyone's attention. After shifting through some papers, he spoke.  
  
"Project 302, Pretender Programme." Mr Parker started just like he had so many years ago. "302, state your name."  
  
Jarod almost laughed. Did they really expect him to play these games?  
  
"If you haven't learnt my name after 30 odd years, what hope do you have of me telling you now?." Jarod sneered sarcastically.  
  
"I would advise you to state your name for the record. I am not in the mood to play your silly games." Mr Parker growled.  
  
"Well, it's about time I get to play some sort of game!" Jarod refused to let them win.  
  
That refusal earnt Jarod a kick to his ribs. Gasping in pain from the blow Sam delivered, Jarod almost fell to the ground. Leaning over in pain, holding his ribs, Jarod struggled to control his raspy breathing. Straightening up, he removed as much of the pain evident in his eyes and on his face as he could. He would not let them see his pain. At that point, Sydney burst into the room. Seeing Jarod holding his ribs, gasping, he walked up to the oak desk.  
  
"Mr Parker, what is going on? Why is Jarod in the Tower? When was he caught? And why wasn't I informed?" Sydney asked, showing his displeasure at being left out.  
  
"Everything will be explained as soon as project 302 states his name."  
  
Sydney glanced at Jarod, realising that he wasn't complying.  
  
"You know his name Mr Parker. It's Jarod. I think we are quite aware of his name." Sydney said, his anger building. "Now what is going on?"  
  
Turning to Miss Parker, Mr Parker asked her to explain what had happened last night, and how Jarod was caught.  
  
"Daddy, I would really rather this be a bit more personal." Parker said uncomfortably.  
  
"Non-sense angel, you're a Parker, you are strong, you are not shy."  
  
"Alright daddy. I don't actually remember much of last night, besides drinking - a lot." Miss Parker admitted, aware of the look her father was sending her. Ignoring it, she went on, desperate to get it out in one shot. "I woke up in the morning in Jarod's bed. He had raped me. I was hand cuffed to the bed, telling him no, but apparently, it didn't phase him much." Miss Parker said coldly, glancing at Jarod. "I let my defences down, I let him in. I let him do this, I let him rape me! I wasn't strong enough to stop it, I wasn't cold enough to push him away! I'm sorry daddy! I'm sorry I wasn't a better Parker!" Miss Parker softly. She was close to tears, how weak her father must think she was. And to let Jarod rape her, to have let her defences down that far. She was far from a Parker right now.  
  
"He did what?" Sydney asked unbelievingly.  
  
"Sydney, your rat raped me!" She said harshly, trying to bring her guard back up  
  
"Miss Parker, are you sure?" Sydney asked, Jarod would never rape her.  
  
"Why don't you ask him for yourself?" she whispered.  
  
All eyes were on the weeping pretender.  
  
"Jarod...?" Sydney asked softly.  
  
"I'm so sorry Sydney! I didn't mean it! I'm sure I didn't! I don't know what happened. I don't know what made me cuff her and... and..." Jarod couldn't finish it.  
  
"How could you Jarod! You were so distraught at the fact that you thought you had killed her! And then you go and rape her! Jarod, I never would have thought you to be so cruel." Sydney finished disappointingly. Turning his back on Jarod, he slowly left the room.  
  
"Sydney!! Please wait! Please Sydney!" Jarod yelled in a desperate attempt to get Sydney to listen.  
  
When Sydney walked through the doors, Jarod pushed himself up to his feet and made an attempt at going after him. As soon as Jarod was on his feet and had turned around to face the door, two sweepers grabbed him.  
  
"Let me go you bastards! Sydney!" Jarod shouted. "Let me go!" Jarod hissed in anger and frustration, fighting to get loose.  
  
The sweepers threw him back, hard. Jarod landed with a loud thud.  
  
"On your knees."  
  
And when Jarod failed to obey, they forced him off his back and onto his knees. Pressing down painfully on his shoulders, one of the sweepers holding him barked,  
  
"Stay."  
  
Jarod looked up at Mr Parker. The fury that was in his normally cold eyes could melt ice. He now had two reasons to hate the younger man. He had caused the crash that had killed Miss Parker and he had raped his only daughter.  
  
"This is a ... disappointment Miss Parker. You let Jarod ... get too close."  
  
Snapping her head up to look at Raines, Miss Parker's eyes glazed over with fury. The infamous blue fire could be seen in her ice blue eyes. Stalking dangerously across the room, ignoring Jarod's glare, she stood in front of Raines.  
  
"I'm a disappointment? How dare you say that to me!" Parker hissed with all the venom she could muster.  
  
Before Raines could reply, there was a loud crash, and moaning.  
  
Looking over in the direction, they saw Sam on top of Jarod belting into him viciously. Jarod didn't stand a chance against the massive sweeper. Sam's fist repeatedly connected with Jarod's face. No one moved to help the defenceless pretender, they just stood still watching.  
  
After a few more moments, Mr Parker ordered Sam off of him.  
  
"Get to your knees Jarod." The chairman told Jarod, his voice making it clear that it wouldn't be wise to disobey him. Jarod struggled, but managed to do as he was told.  
  
"Sam, what was the meaning of this distraction?" The man asked.  
  
"He was looking at Miss Parker's legs. He hasn't learnt his lesson!" the hatred in his voice seeped out, despite the sweepers efforts.  
  
As if they were a swarm of bee's all following each other, all eyes went to Miss Parker's legs. She had the traditional short skirt on, ending mid thigh.  
  
"What do you think your doing looking at me rat?" Miss Parker hissed, Jarod could see the slight hint of fear in her eyes and could hear the worry in her voice.  
  
"Miss Parker, it's not what it looks like! I wasn't looking at you!" Jarod tried frantically to explain, no matter what he said, he would be in the shit for it. "It's just that your legs... they were... weren't they..." Jarod shook his head. He was confused like never before.  
  
He hadn't really paid attention before. First he was drunk, then he was busy violating her. Afterwards he was so happy to see her, then frightened for his life, it had never clicked. She had broken her leg badly in the crash, he was sure of it, he had seen it... hadn't he?  
  
Could he have SIMed her injuries? Could the trauma of the crash, his injures, his fear and his worry over her caused him to SIM the injuries? Could his brain have made him believe things were actually worse than they really were? If there was no way he could move her to help, and that help was on its way, and he knew she would be safe, it would have justified him running. If she wasn't all that badly hurt, he could have gotten her out of the car and helped her better, but that would have resulted in him being caught.  
  
"Your leg wasn't broken was it?" Jarod asked softly.  
  
"What the hell are you on about franken-boy?" Miss Parker asked coldly.  
  
He SIMed it! He SIMed her injures so he would feel better when he left her there alone, hurt and scared. How could he? Jarod lowered his head in disgust.  
  
When it was clear the conversation was over, and Jarod wouldn't try to anything else, Mr Parker motioned to one of the two sweepers not holding Jarod, to go get something for him.  
  
All was silent for the few minutes. Lyle was trying to comfort his sister, a hand laid upon her shoulder. Raines stood with an evil glint in his eyes. Sam was paying close attention to the pretender, waiting for a wrong move. Mr Parker was glaring daggers at Jarod.  
  
The only door opened again, the sweeper walked in, followed by a women.  
  
The mysterious woman walked over to the desk Mr Parker was sitting behind.  
  
"I would like to introduce everyone to Mercy," looking over at Jarod, "The pretender's new handler."  
  
Authors note: sorry this has taken so long to post again. My comp died on me and took for ever to fix. Sorry to Ann, I didn't mean to keep you hanging for so long.  
  
Pretendergurl, keep up the great work on your fic, sorry I haven't reviewed it for you. My computer wont let me submit one or let me use my e- mail. But its going good and can't wait to see what happens with the T- board. 


	11. May god have Mercy

Disclaimer: See chapter 1. I have stolen and reworked a quote from Russell Andrews' book Gideon. It does not belong to me.  
  
Authors note: Thanks heaps to Maestra and Jacci, couldn't have done it without you girls. Extra hugs for Jacci for staying up late all those nights ripping it apart trying to help. Lol, thanks. And an extra thanks to Mercy for allowing me to use her name. Ta :)  
  
Warning: There's some explicit actions placed on Jarod later on in the fic. It isn't much, but just in case I'm rating this R, just to be on the safe side.  
  
Chapter eleven ...  
  
"What! Dad! You can't give this blonde bimbo Jarod! He should be mine!" Lyle roared gesturing to the blonde at the old oak desk in the sterile white room. How could he?!  
  
"Lyle, calm yourself. Jarod is familiar with both you and Mr Raines. He knows how to act to make you think what he needs you to think. He has had no experience with Dr Mercy so he can not manipulate her." Mr Parker stated, he knew his son wouldn't take this well, but frankly he didn't care. He would not jeopardise the Pretender project to pander to his son's wishes.  
  
"But dad!" Lyle was on the verge of fury.  
  
"No Lyle! I have made my choice. I am sure the good doctor will allow you access for certain projects."  
  
Turning towards Miss Parker, he continued.  
  
"Angel, I assure you Jarod will be punished severely for his violation, but it is time for you to move on, forget about it." Mr Parker never got to finish what he was saying.  
  
"Get over it?!" Jarod asked incredulous, "She was raped! How could you be so cold to your own daughter?! Have a god damn heart for once!" Jarod said in a raised voice.  
  
"If I'm not mistaken, but weren't you the one to rape her in the first place Jarod?" Lyle spoke up, he couldn't miss this chance to inflict some sort of pain on the pretender.  
  
Jarod sighed heavily, lowering his head and his eyes. Mr Parker continued as if he had never been interrupted,  
  
"And Raines, again, if you ask Dr Mercy for access to the pretender, I'm sure there won't be a problem." He finished looking at Mercy, hoping she realised the last part was meant for her.  
  
"Doctor, you may address him."  
  
"Thank you Mr Parker." The woman said softly.  
  
Jarod looked up at her as she stepped away from the desk and in front of him.  
  
She was beautiful.  
  
She had long softly curled golden blond hair. Her eyes were a warm blue, nothing like Miss Parker's ice blue. She was slightly shorter than Miss Parker and her frame was a little bigger. She had soft, voluptuous curves. Her face held a warm, friendly smile. Her eyes were trusting and friendly. She wore faded denim jeans and a soft, baby blue turtleneck jumper. She looked harmless.  
  
"Project 302," She said softly in a soft motherly voice, "I am doctor Mercy, I'll be taking care of you for a while."  
  
A shiver ran down his spine at those words. That's what Sydney had said to him, and although he was grateful for the kindness and gentleness Sydney showed him, he was still locked away for almost his whole life. He didn't want it to happen again.  
  
Looking down at Jarod, she asked the sweepers to let go of his shoulders and for Jarod to stand. Jarod wasted no time getting up. Being at everyone's height gave him at least the appearance of some control over the situation. He could do nothing if he was being held down on his knees.  
  
"Project 302, what is your name?" she asked kindly.  
  
"Jarod." Jarod found himself answering. Her voice, her smile gave her a trusting appearance, he couldn't stop himself from answering her.  
  
This must be what I make others feel like when I ask them to trust me.  
  
"Hello Jarod. I have a few questions I would like you to answer before we leave. Is that alright?"  
  
Jarod was taken aback. She was asking him? Jarod nodded his head softly, confusion written all over his face.  
  
"There's no need to be confused Jarod. It's a straight and simple process. I would like to know if you really did rape Miss Parker."  
  
Jarod hung his head in shame. Mercy lifted his head up so she could look in his eyes. "I'm not looking for a reason, or for details. Just a yes or a no Jarod. Like I said, it's simple." Mercy said softly.  
  
"Yes." Jarod said meekly.  
  
"Thank you Jarod. I was wondering if you would like to work with Sydney for certain SIM's."  
  
Mercy got the response she thought she would.  
  
"I'm not doing SIM's for them!" Jarod said angrily.  
  
"What about for me Jarod? Would you do SIM's for me?" she asked in her gentle voice.  
  
Looking into her eyes, Jarod was lost in her warmth. It took actual effort to shake his head no.  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that Jarod. Maybe after a few weeks you might reconsider."  
  
Walking over to the desk, Mercy picked up a file. Leaning against the desk, she read a few things from it.  
  
"Project 302, Pretender Programme, known also as Jarod. Arrived at the Centre in 1963 and allocated to Doctor Sydney Greene's care. Project 302 is the Centre's best pretender but has a moral conscience." Lowering the file, Mercy looked at Jarod. "Moral are we? I have found that, to be an extraordinarily intelligent man, and an equally moral one, is sometimes not a combination that goes hand in hand. It does not always provide for much peace. Would I be accurate on this assumption Jarod?" Mercy asked in a pleasant voice.  
  
"Sometimes yes, but not always. Sometimes it makes for a wonderful combination." Jarod said back just as nicely.  
  
"I see. It says here that you have a few issues with your family. More to the point, you have a few issues with not having your family."  
  
"Wouldn't you have a few 'issues' if you were stolen from your family and kept from them your whole life?!" Jarod snapped angrily.  
  
"Jarod, calm down. I wasn't attacking you. There was no need to defend." Mercy scolded him like a mother does to a five year old that has gotten into the cookie jar. "It also states that you have found your father, sister and brother, who was killed by Mr Lyle." Mercy looked towards Lyle. He was still furious she had gotten Jarod. "How was that?" she asked curiously.  
  
"I don't see the point in any of this!" Miss Parker snarled, this wasn't punishment.  
  
"Please Miss Parker, I was just trying to find out more about Jarod."  
  
"Dr Mercy, I'm sure you can continue this when you have Jarod back in his space." Mr Parker said, trying to placate his daughter, who he could see was on the verge of losing control.  
  
"Not a problem Mr Parker." She replied sweetly.  
  
Nodding towards the sweepers, Mercy closed the file. Jarod's arms were pulled sharply behind his back, as he was forced back onto his knees, where they were restrained with plastic wire just like they had been earlier at his house.  
  
Walking over to Jarod, Mercy pulled a collar that looked suspiciously like a dog-collar, out from the back of her jeans. Calmly, without breaking eye contact, she fastened the temporary collar around his neck and attached a leash.  
  
You could almost hear Lyle snickering in the background. The look of shocked horror on Jarod's face fuelled Lyle's delight at seeing Jarod treated like a pet.  
  
Leaning in close to Jarod's surprised face, her breath tickling the man's cheek, Mercy whispered,  
  
"Welcome to my world." There was something dark and dangerous in her tone and Jarod swallowed the knot of fear that formed in his throat. Taking a step back, Mercy said louder.  
  
"Come along Jarod."  
  
Pulling on the leash forcefully, Jarod was yanked to his feet. Mercy lead Jarod out of the room confidently, with her head held high. Jarod tried with all his might not to stumble, being hunched over and pulled along by a leash wasn't helping his walking.  
  
#######  
  
Miss Parker had left with a sick feeling in her stomach. This lady was twisted and would, if given the power, be the end of Jarod. Not like that was an entirely bad thought. She entered Sydney's office without knocking.  
  
The older man was siting at his desk with a glass of scotch.  
  
"I'm sorry Miss Parker, I thought I had taught him better than that." Miss Parker's heart sunk at the misery in Sydney's voice.  
  
"This wasn't your fault Syd. This was Wonder-Boy's. You have no control over his actions. He is a grown man, and he will learn that actions indeed, have consequences."  
  
"How are you coping Miss Parker?" Sydney asked, the concern was apparent in his eyes.  
  
"I'm doing surprisingly well." Miss Parker said in confusion. "I'm disappointed and hurt that he would do this to me, I'm angry at him. I'm more disappointed though. Why is that Syd?" she asked.  
  
It wasn't often that Parker asked for Sydney's advice or thoughts, he was quite willing to give her what she asked for.  
  
"He has broken a trust that has taken decades to build. Even if you won't admit it, you had placed your trust in him."  
  
"But why me? I would never have imagined Jarod ever doing this. To anyone." Parker said sadly.  
  
"Jarod was very traumatised after the accident. He used alcohol to numb the pain he was suffering, to numb the guilt he felt over your death. When he saw you, he could have just snapped. The sight of you to much to bear."  
  
Miss Parker tilted her head to the side with a small frown,  
  
"Syd, after you left, Jarod asked if my leg was broken in the crash. Why would he think that?"  
  
"Jarod was very distraught when I found him. He was blaming himself for the crash and your death. He was devastated. He was carrying around tremendous guilt over the fact that he had run and left you. It is my guess, that at the time, Jarod ran a SIM to try and work out the best course of action. But it is very likely to have turned out to be more than that. Jarod ran, and that's not like him. I think that perhaps he needed to believe so badly that your injuries were so severe, that there was no hope and that he needed it so bad, that he lost himself in the SIM. The SIM became his reality, forced upon him to ease his own sense of guilt. He might not have even realized what he was doing until he saw your leg, that it was indeed not broken."  
  
Looking Miss Parker over, Sydney noticed her wrists. Getting up from behind his desk, the shrink walked around to the couch Parker was sitting on. Drawing her hands up to his face, Sydney commented on her bruises.  
  
"How did you get these Miss Parker?" Sydney asked softly.  
  
"I was cuffed to the bed, all night. The lab-rat took them off when he woke up. Sydney, I have bruises all over my body. Deep blue bruises. What did he do to me?" she asked quietly.  
  
Sydney's head snapped up. Staring incredulously at her, he asked,  
  
"You don't remember?"  
  
"Like I said earlier, I don't remember much from last night."  
  
"Then how can you be sure it was rape Miss Parker?" Sydney asked with a hint of hope.  
  
Within a micro-second, Miss Parker's defences were back up in full swing. Standing quickly to her feet, Miss Parker crossed her arms over her chest angrily  
  
"I was chained to the bed. I was telling Frankenstein no, repeatedly. I have bruises all over my body. And to add to this little list of joy, your experiment admitted it!" The angry woman hissed darkly.  
  
"I'm sorry if it sounded like I doubt you, it's just that this is so out of character for Jarod."  
  
"Take his side Syd, I don't care. I shouldn't have come here in the first place." Walking with long stride over to the door, she turned to face Sydney one more time. "I'm going to see what 'doctor'," she spat out like a bad taste, "Mercy is planing to do with the lab-rat."  
  
#######  
  
Jarod had been pulled along the corridors, through the lobby and lower levels. He had been pushed into and yanked out of the elevators before he was finally seated on a bed in the infirmary after they cut the restraining wire from his arms.  
  
Two sweepers stood at both ends of the bed, and one either side of the door. Sam stood in front of Jarod, looking down at him. Dr Mercy was standing in the corner whispering to another doctor. Both turned to face Jarod and after a few minutes of talking, walked over.  
  
"I need the cast to be removed and the bone set again. I believe that our dear Sam might have fractured it earlier at his lair. I want a complete medical done including blood test's and I want him thoroughly checked out in case he is hiding something that could help him escape. And doctor, I mean I want him checked every where." Mercy said, emphasising every.  
  
"Yes ma'am." The male doctor said with a hint of excitement in his voice.  
  
"Get undressed pretender." The doctor ordered as soon as Mercy had left the room.  
  
#######  
  
Miss Parker walked into the tech room on SL 5 trying to find Broots. After searching his office and two other tech rooms, she had finally found him. He was hunched over the computer typing furiously.  
  
"Boo!!" Miss Parker said softly into his ear.  
  
Broots actually fell off his chair. Climbing quickly to his feet he turned to face a smiling Miss Parker.  
  
"Miss P-Parker?" Broots said suspiciously. He was unsure of what his eyes were seeing.  
  
"Why am I getting this reaction lately? Yes it is me moron!"  
  
"But your dead, h-how are you here?"  
  
#######  
  
_Storming into Sydney's office late in the afternoon yesterday, Miss Parker was surprised to see Sydney drinking at his desk.  
  
"Hey Syd, long time no see. Why didn't you come to see me in the infirmary?"  
  
Sydney looked up with tired eyes. Rubbing his eyes for a few minutes and squinting them, he continued to see an impatient Miss Parker.  
  
"Miss Parker? Is that you?" Sydney asked confused.  
  
"Who'd you think it is Syd? The Easter bunny?" Miss Parker spat back.  
  
"It is you!" Sydney said with a happiness in his voice the woman hadn't heard for years. Jumping up from his seat, he rushed around his desk and gave her a bear hug.  
  
"You're alright! Thank god! I didn't want to believe it, but you were gone!"  
  
"Sydney why didn't you visit me in the infirmary?" she asked hurt.  
  
"I didn't know you were in there." Sydney said honestly.  
_  
#######  
  
"Why was I expecting you to know I wasn't dead?" Miss Parker asked annoyed.  
  
"Debbie is going to be so happy! You're alive!" Broots said happily wrapping his arms around her.  
  
A small smile pulled at her lips before she pushed the smiling man away. They were all so happy to see her. It was a nice feeling.  
  
"I'm glad to see you too Broots, as strange as that is, but right now I need you to do something for me."  
  
"Anything Miss Parker!" Broots said sitting back down.  
  
"What am I looking for?"  
  
"Jarod."  
  
Turning around in his seat, he looked up at his resurrected boss with a confused brow.  
  
"Jarod?"  
  
"I brought him back this morning." Miss Parker said quickly. There was something she wasn't letting him in on.  
  
"I'll start in the lower sub levels then."  
  
It took ten minutes to locate the pretender. He was in the infirmary under going a medical.  
  
"Broots, turn the volume up."  
  
#######  
  
Jarod was pinned to the wall as one of the sweepers relieved him of his only piece of clothing. The cold, shivering, frightened man stood no chance as he tried to struggle against the sweeper's hold.  
  
"Sit on the bed." The doctor in his early forties ordered.  
  
After the sweepers let Jarod go, he slowly walked over from the wall and sat on the bed. Cutting the plaster from his arm quickly, the doctor went on with the physical.  
  
First drawing some blood, then checking his eye sight, ear's, nose and throat. After that, he went on to checking Jarod's temperature and blood pressure.  
  
"Let's see if you're hiding anything on you." The doctor said mainly to himself. Though the delight that was in the doctors soft voiced sent cold shivers down the man's spine.  
  
Running his fingers through Jarod's hair a few times, he moved on to checking behind his ears. When satisfied, the doctor lifted Jarod's arms up and checked the underside of his arms and arm pits.  
  
Pulling Jarod from the table, the doctor ordered him to turn around and grab his ankles. Jarod blanched at the instructions. Nothing would happen to him. Jarod told himself over and over again as the sweepers forced him to turn and shoved him down and instructed him again to hold his ankles.  
  
Nothing would happen to him.  
  
Running his hands up the inside of his thighs, the doctor moved closer to Jarod as his hands skilfully moved around to Jarod's genitals.  
  
Jarod froze in fear, his breath caught, his eyes widened. He felt the intrusive hand probe around the area for several minutes, fondling him.  
  
This must have been what Miss Parker felt. Only she would have been in pain too. Jarod thought sadly, he was getting some of his own medicine.  
  
Jarod bolted upright when he felt two fingers slide into him from behind. Jarod barely registered the order to bend and grab his ankles. The sweepers once again had to force him back down and hold him still when he struggled. Jarod was terrified. He tried desperately to control his rising panic as the fingers moved around inside him. What if they decide to do to him what he had done to Parker? Would any one help him? Would any one stop them? Would any one care?  
  
A few moments later, the invading fingers retreated.  
  
Jarod sighed a big breath of relief as he heard the order to stand up. He had never felt such a strong sense of release as what he did now. Jarod was so relived, he almost sobbed. He happily, yet gingerly, sat on the bed when the doctor told him to, the doctor wasn't exactly gentle when he probed Jarod, and sat quietly whilst the new plaster was being wrapped around his arm.  
  
#######  
  
The couple had watched the events unfold on the screens in the tech room. Broots was horrified by the calmness of the doctor as he assaulted Jarod. Looking over to Miss Parker, expecting to see the same look, he was shocked to see a smile on her face.  
  
"Miss Parker!" Broots said with a voice full of confusion and disgust. "Why are you smiling? He was just sexually assaulted!"  
  
"Go talk to Sydney if you really want to know!" Miss Parker said angrily as she turned on her heel and left.  
  
If this is the reaction you have for Jarod being abused like that, I really don't think I want to know what happened to make you like this! Broots thought to himself.  
  
Miss Parker made her way quickly to the infirmary room that Jarod was in. There, standing out side of the door was Mercy looking cool as water.  
  
"Miss Parker." Mercy said politely bowing her head. "What can I do for you?"  
  
Smiling, Miss Parker stepped closer to the blonde.  
  
"Nice show you had put on there."  
  
"I'm glad you liked it. I do hope that the good doctor didn't go too far with his search." Mercy said smiling. "I wanted Jarod to feel some of what you would have felt last night. The search would have scared him straight. Now if you don't mind, I have work to do." Mercy said, dismissing the ice queen as she turned and entered the room containing Jarod.  
  
_A/n: I'm sorry if anyone took offence to Jarod's treatment by the doctor, but I have been told that's what prisoners of high security prisons go through at the start as a safety precaution so they don't escape._


	12. Doc knows best

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.  
  
Authors note: A big thanks to Jaccione, Maestra and Mercy, I wouldn't have gotten this far with out you girls. Extra hugs for Jacci, this is now basically your story too.  
  
Chapter twelve...  
  
A naked pretender was thrown into his new 'room' roughly, landing with a loud thud and a grunt. Mercy strolled causally into the cell after Jarod was thrown in.  
  
"Welcome to your new room Jarod, I hope you find it comfortable." Mercy said pleasantly.  
  
Nodding upwards towards a sweeper, Mercy turned her back to Jarod briefly to receive two things.  
  
Holding out on her open hands, Mercy offered Jarod some clothing. Jarod spared no time reaching out to snatch this offering but just as Jarod's hands were about to grab the clothes, Mercy pulled them away.  
  
Looking down at the naked man that was sitting on the cold ground, Mercy raked her eyes over his body. She could not help but to admire his physique, although she thought that he was a bit on the skinny side. Jarod didn't like the gleam in his new handler's eyes, shifting backwards in an effort to escape the scrutinizing, he found himself backed up against the wall.  
  
"Kneel in front of me please Jarod." Mercy ordered softly.  
  
Looking at the grey material in her hands to the sweepers, then back to the clothes, Jarod slowly moved forward. The sweepers glared down at the pretender, they were quite willing to make him kneel in front of Mercy if he wouldn't do it by himself. Kneeling in front of the beautiful blonde, Jarod had never hated himself so much. He was so weak, so pathetic, but he so badly wanted those clothes. He wanted the protection they offered.  
  
"That's a good boy Jarod." Mercy praised the humiliated man as she handed the clothing to a sweeper.  
  
Leaning over the pretender, Mercy removed the temporary collar. Jarod sighed a breath of relief. His feelings of freedom from the collar didn't last long however. Jarod recoiled in horror, his eyes wide, as he saw the new collar that dangled from her hand. It was metal, solid, and heavy. There was no way he was letting her put that on him. He started to back up, but Mercy gestured to the two sweepers and they quickly had him back on his knees in front of her. A third sweeper grabbed him roughly by the hair, holding his head in place as she leaned down and gently placed the collar around his neck. She straightened up and gestured to a man waiting outside of the cell.  
  
The two bulky men stood either side of Jarod, holding him firmly in place. A man appeared around the corner, holding some portable welding equipment and a safety mask. Jarod tried desperately to struggle, panic rising in his chest, choking him. He looked up into Mercy's eyes, begging silently with her not to do this. But Mercy just smiled calmly, and leaned down and whispered in his ear.  
  
"Stay very still Jarod, and this should not hurt."  
  
She gently placed a thick protective cloth over Jarod's neck. The stranger clipped the collar securely at the back, and Jarod felt his heart plummeting at the sound. Turning on his equipment, he got to work welding the collar shut. Jarod tried as hard as he could to struggle, the heat at the back of his neck adding to his fight.  
  
Without notice, the heat disappeared from his neck and the protective material was removed. The welder walked out of the cell, and the sweepers let their grip go. Jarod stood up quickly and backed away from them. His hands flew to his neck, tugging at the collar, trying to get it off.  
  
"Jarod, it was just welded shut. It isn't coming off anytime soon, so stop playing with it."  
  
Running his hands over it, Jarod realised it was indeed stuck on. His fingers tracing over the weld that was still hot. He also noticed a U shape piece of metal sticking up from the collar. Jarod presumed that that was there to clip his leash on. Man did that annoy him, he wasn't a damn dog! Fury and anger burned inside him. He would not perform for them, and he wouldn't do tricks either! Mercy was bound to want something from him eventually, but he swore to himself that she was never going to get it.  
  
"Your clothing." Mercy said as a sweeper handed Jarod the garment.  
  
Jarod grabbed the offering and quickly put the coverage on. The right sleeve had been thoughtfully cut so it would accommodate his plastered arm. Looking up after he was finished, he was surprised to find himself alone in his new 'room'.  
  
Finally, peace. Jarod sighed, he was truly thankful to be left alone. He was tired of hands always over him, of people looking at him, analysing him.  
  
Slowly looking around the room, his hands still trying to find some way of undoing the collar, Jarod saw that it was painted white. Bright, blindingly bright, white walls, ceiling and floor. There was an old, lumpy pillow in the corner, no blanket, no mattress, no bed. Looking up, Jarod noticed four cameras in the corners of his cell. Jarod's brow creased in confusion when he saw all the lights.  
  
In the middle of his cell, in the corners, along the sides and scattered over the ceiling were different lights. It almost looked as if he was at a dance club during the day. Reaching up, Jarod realised he couldn't disable the cameras even if he had the right equipment. The ceiling was an arms length higher than what Jarod could reach. Jarod noticed with bitter disappointment that the airvents were two rectangles in the floor, both 30 by 20 cm, there was no way they could offer a means of escape. The only way out was through door.  
  
Walking over to the corner, Jarod sat down and curled his knees up to his chest. Letting out a heavy sigh, Jarod deepened his breathing in an attempt to clear his mind. Just as he started to SIM possible escape routes, the lights blinked on, then off, then on. Squinting his eyes against the assault, Jarod tried to shut out the brightness. The lights blinked in random patterns, laser lights flashed across the room, flood lights turned on then off. Jarod was reminded of a time he had spent in the snow, the sun light reflecting off of the pure white snow, creating a blinding glare.  
  
He had hated this method of intimidation the first time he had spent time at the Centre after they had caught him. This time wouldn't be any different. Shivering slightly, Jarod noticed the temperature was dropping and within minutes he estimated the room temperature had dropped to 10 degrees Celsius.  
  
Shivering more violently, Jarod wrapped his arms around his legs, pulling them closer to his body trying to decrease his total surface area and increase his body temperature. He screwed his eyes tightly closed, trying to block out the blinding lights. Somewhere, deep down, he knew he deserved all of this.  
  
######  
  
The sun had set hours ago, the radio played softly in the back ground. Miss Parker had last spoken to Jarod's new handler just after lunch time. God only knows what the lab-rat would be enduring right about now. That little thought brought a small to her lips.  
  
She really hoped that the blonde bimbo was torturing his sorry arse. The little show Mercy had put on earlier for her had been sweet. Maybe now, Jarod might understand what she would have felt like when he had raped her.  
  
Hearing a knock at her door, Parker frowned slightly as she placed her scotch on the coffee table.  
  
Looking through the peep hole, she was somewhat surprised to see Sydney and Broots. Unlocking the dead bolt and sliding the chain off, Miss Parker opened the door and let her guests in.  
  
The first person to cross the threshold and enter her home was a sobbing Debbie. The girl had been hidden behind her father. Flinging herself into the stunned woman's arms, Miss Parker hugged the girl back.  
  
"They said you were dead! I didn't want you to leave me Miss Parker! Why did you leave me?!"  
  
"Debbie, I was in a car accident. I'm sorry that you were told that I died. I would never leave you."  
  
"Promise?" Debbie asked as she straightened up and wiped the tears away.  
  
"Yes. Debbie, I need to talk with your father and Sydney. Would you like to go to my room and practice braiding your hair?"  
  
The girl nodded and left to go upstairs.  
  
"What are you two doing here?"  
  
"We thought we might check up on you, see how you were feeling." The older man answered.  
  
"Just swell Syd, now that your boy is rotting in a cell on a sub-level." She hissed, regretting it immediately when she saw the hurt surface on Sydney's face, they only wanted to help.  
  
"Miss P-Parker, did he really... did he..." Broots tried to ask unsuccessfully.  
  
"Yes Broots."  
  
"I-I'm sorry." He said softly, looking at the ground.  
  
Smiling to herself mainly, she thanked the techie.  
  
"Thank you Broots." She said honestly.  
  
#######  
  
The thick steel door was thrown open. Looking up as the lights were thankfully turned off, Jarod saw Mercy and two sweepers that he recognised from earlier, walk in.  
  
"Is it just me, or is it a little chilly?" Mercy asked rubbing her hands over her arms.  
  
Jarod didn't reply, he just sat in his corner shivering uncontrollably.  
  
"I have brought you something to eat for dinner. I know its not normal Centre food but I need you to have food in your stomach." Mercy explained and Jarod wondered briefly why she did this so much.  
  
The sweeper walked over to the man and held out a bowl of pumpkin soup. Jarod was starving. Since the crash just over two weeks ago, he had eaten barley anything. His last meal was well over 48 hours ago. Reaching out, Jarod took the soup from the sweeper.  
  
The warmth surged through his cold body, his stomach growling at the first taste. Jarod ate the food quickly, smiling slightly in contentment afterwards. Handing the bowl back to the sweeper, he sighed softly wishing there was another bowl for him to eat.  
  
"Good boy Jarod. I expect you to eat all your food with that kind of enthusiasm. Unfortunately, its time for some medicine."  
  
Jarod's head shot up, he didn't like the amused undertone in her voice. Jarod pushed himself further into the corner as he saw a syringe appear in the woman's hands. Nodding towards the pretender, Mercy ordered,  
  
"Hold him down, give me his right arm."  
  
The two bulky men advanced on the scared man, quickly pinning him in the corner he had backed into. One of them grabbed his recently re-plastered arm and held it out to his boss.  
  
"Thank you Mathew." Mercy said with a smile.  
  
Removing the safety cap, she plunged the needle into the struggling man's arm.  
  
"NO! NO! What is in that?! Don't...!" Jarod had shouted as he saw the filled syringe come closer to his arm. Letting out a grunt of pain as the needle entered his vein and its content merged with his blood.  
  
Withdrawing the now empty syringe, Mercy rubbed his arm softly for a few moments before she rose back up and motioned the sweepers to follow as they left the cell. As the door slammed shut and locked once again, the lights were turned back on.  
  
#######  
  
Morning didn't come quickly for Jarod. The hours dragged out torturously slow. The cold making Jarod huddle in the corner, holding the pillow in between his chest and his folded knees, his arms wrapping around his bent knees. The drug given to him had nasty side affects, come to think of it, that might have been what the drug was for. He had been shaking violently, had been through several hot and cold flashes. The throwing up was the worst part. Long after his stomach had surrendered its meagre contents, Jarod was still heaving. At one stage, he was throwing up blood. Jarod's stomach was burning, his muscles ached, his throat painfully dry.  
  
He had tried to sleep, but the lights and cold wouldn't allow him to get more than 20 minutes of rest at a time. What Jarod wouldn't give for a hot shower, a cold drink and a dark room to sleep in, and this was only the first night.  
  
#######  
  
Miss Parker woke with a start. She was intertwined in the bed sheets, her brow frowned with confusion. It took a moment for her to realise where she was. Throwing back the covers, she walked into the bathroom and started the shower.  
  
30 minutes later, Miss Parker had her hair and makeup done to perfection. Walking out of the bathroom in a towel, Miss Parker went to her wardrobe to find something to wear.  
  
Deciding upon a charcoal grey skirt that sat below her knees with a slit up both sides, Miss Parker tucked a flame red silk shirt into it. Finishing with the matching jacket and enclosed high heels, she was ready for another day in hell.  
  
After grabbing an apple, Miss Parker left.  
  
She made a quick detour on the way to work, stopping off at Broots' house. Pulling silently into the driveway, Miss Parker climbed out of the sports car and made her way up to the back door.  
  
It was always fun to sneak into the tech's house and scare the living daylights out of him. Creeping around the corner into the kitchen, she saw Broots reprimanding his daughter.  
  
"Debbie, you missed the bus, again! I told you to get up 45 minutes ago. I'm going to have to drive you now, making me late for work. Miss Parker is going to yell at me." Broots scolded his daughter. He really hated when Miss Parker yelled at him.  
  
Stepping fully into the room behind Broots, Miss Parker made her move.  
  
"I wouldn't yell at you Broots. Just shoot you."  
  
Broots jumped in fright and spun around on his heels. There, in front of him, stood Miss Parker with her hands on her hips and a smile on her face.  
  
"M-Miss Parker. What are you doing here? How did you get in here, again?" Broots asked confused.  
  
Ignoring Broots all together, Parker looked at a giggling Debbie.  
  
"Hello Debbie." She said pleasantly.  
  
"Hi." The teenager said with a genuine smile brightening her face.  
  
"Debbie, why don't you go and wait in my car, I'll drive you to school today."  
  
"Thanks Miss Parker." Debbie said grabbing her school bag and running out the door.  
  
"You don't have to drive her Miss Parker, I can do it."  
  
"Nonsense Broots. I wouldn't want you to be late and have to yell at you, now would I?"  
  
"Is there a reason to why you're in my house Miss Parker?" Broots asked with confidence.  
  
"I need you to go straight to the tech lab and find a DSA for me. I want to know what happened in that operating room."  
  
"You want me to find a DSA of your death?" Broots asked as he paled.  
  
"Yes, and I want to see what happens after the surgery." With that, Miss Parker left the kitchen and exited the house, planing to drive Debbie to school.  
  
#######  
  
Broots sat down at his computer and turned it on. While waiting for it to boot up, he glanced around the bustling tech lab. Broots was head technician in the Centre and he often came down to the labs to get a sense of power. Working underneath Miss Parker and constantly having to put up with Lyle often made him scared and left him feeling like he lacked a back bone. When he was here, he was the boss. The one to order around other people.  
  
Broots wasn't like that but, he had the authority to boss these underlings around but could never make himself do it. He had a tendency to ask for help instead of ordering something to be done. It made him a good boss. People respected him, and never failed to try and do as he asked.  
  
The beep of his computer brought him back to reality. Sighing, Broots hacked into the mainframe to try and find the DSA Miss Parker asked for.  
  
Someone should really tell Mr Parker how easy it is to get into restricted areas of the mainframe. Broots thought to himself.  
  
It didn't take long to find what he was looking for. Placing a blank disk into the burner, Broots copied the footage onto the DSA.  
  
Curiosity got the better of the man, and he played the first disk.  
  
#######  
  
_Miss Parker was wheeled into the ER. There was blood all over her bruised body. As the doctors drew closer and picked up the scalpel, Broots saw the blood seep out of the open wound as the doctor cut deeper into her porcelain skin.  
_  
#######  
  
Broots choked back the vomit as he saw the doctors preform on her. Fast forwarding to when the time off death was called, he played it again.  
  
#######  
  
_"I'm sorry Mr Parker, there's nothing we can do." The surgeon said sadly as he walked out of the room.  
  
Mr Parker paced around the small room angrily. Abruptly, he turned to face a wheezing Raines.  
  
"Mr Raines, I want you to use the drug you developed using the pretender and other subjects on her!"  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"The heart drug you seemed to enjoy torturing Jarod with!" The angry man yelled.  
  
"Parker, It's doesn't work... It failed on Jarod..."  
  
"Raines, I KNOW you have been playing doctor, I know it works!"  
  
"You must be misinformed..."  
  
"Do it now!" Mr Parker hissed in fury.  
  
"Nurse..." Raines called after he sighed heavily.  
  
The nurse pumped the drug into Miss Parker's IV as Raines readied the paddles to bring her back to life.  
  
One... two... three...  
  
Miss Parker drew in a shallow breath, her hate rate steadied out.  
  
"Oh my Angel! You're alive! Thank god!"_


	13. Gotta hate the collar

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.  
  
Authors note: A big thanks to Jaccione, Maestra and Mercy, I wouldn't have gotten this far with out you girls. Extra hugs for Jacci, this is now basically your story too.  
  
Chapter thirteen...  
  
Jarod looked up as all the lights were turned off, except one main overhead light. The door slowly opened and Dr Mercy walked in, followed by her two sweepers. Looking around the room, Mercy noticed the orange vomit mingled with blood.  
  
"Were you sick last night Jarod?" she asked, there was genuine concern in her eyes and voice.  
  
Jarod was reminded of his first impression of the woman, caring and soft. He nodded his head once. Side steeping the vomit, she walked over to the cold man and knelt down beside him. Placing a hand onto his forehead to check his temperature, she didn't fail to notice Jarod leaning into her hand.  
  
"You have a fever. Did you get any hot or cold flashes last night?" she asked in a doctor's tone.  
  
"Yes, both. What was it that you gave me?" Jarod asked accusingly, tugging on the collar.  
  
"I told you last night Jarod. It was medicine. If it was drugs Jarod, I would have told you so." Standing up, Mercy looked down at the shivering man. "Were there any other symptoms?"  
  
"Violent shaking." Jarod answered honestly. It seemed to him that Mercy wasn't expecting his sickness.  
  
"Thank you Jarod." Turning to the sweepers she ordered, "Mathew get a janitor to clean this mess now. Ryan help me take Jarod to the showers."  
  
Mathew left in search of a janitor while Mercy and Ryan advanced on Jarod. Backing into the corner, Jarod was at a loss to move anywhere else.  
  
Jarod was gripped by his biceps and hauled off the floor. The pretender was shocked when he was roughly pushed out of the door, they hadn't restrained him. Maybe this lady wasn't as smart as he had first thought.  
  
Before he could make a move, Ryan gripped his arm painfully. Jarod walked quietly down the corridor trying to work out what level he was on. There wasn't anything to suggest what sub level it was, but he would have to guess it was one of the lower one's. He would find out later. Rounding the corner, Jarod thought now was as good as any time to try and escape.  
  
Twisting quickly out of the grip that was on his right arm, he swang out and hit Ryan hard in the face. Taking this chance, Jarod started to sprint down the corridor. Ryan jumped to his feet to dash after the escaping pretender but Mercy held her hand up to stop him.  
  
"Give him a minute more." Mercy patiently waited for a minute.  
  
Pulling a small device out of her jacket pocket, Mercy pressed a three digit combination. A second later, there was a bloodcurdling scream echoing from down the corridor.  
  
"Now we can go after him." Mercy said calmly.  
  
Rounding another corner, they saw Jarod on the ground curled into a tight ball, shaking. Every few seconds he would tense and grit his teeth together. Looking up at the two captors standing above him, Jarod sniffed and a small sob escaped his lips as he clawed at the collar in an effort to get it off.  
  
Mercy saw the pain and hatred in his eyes. He knew now that escape was going to be a little bit harder.  
  
Jarod tensed again and a hiss of pain escaped his mouth, "What the hell is that?" Jarod ground out through a clenched jaw.  
  
"Your collar will administer a high voltage electrical shock when activated. It will continue to issue smaller shocks at random intervals and of varying voltages until I disarm it. Now can I trust you enough to take you to the showers and to disarm it, or would you like to go back to your room with it still on?"  
  
After another smaller shock, Jarod nodded his head yes.  
  
"Good boy." Mercy keyed in another three digits into the small device.  
  
Jarod drew in a breath of relief. If he were going to escape, he would have to either deactivate the collar fully, or find a way of removing it altogether. Jarod felt Ryan pull him from the ground and hold him up as his legs gave way.  
  
"Stay on your feet," the sweeper ordered.  
  
Don't you think I'm trying you idiot?! Jarod thought angrily. Why did sweepers always have to be so rough?  
  
#######  
  
Miss Parker had only just sat down at her desk when Broots came crashing through her office doors.  
  
"Haven't you ever learnt how to knock?" Miss Parker asked annoyed.  
  
Ignoring her remark, Broots started talking.  
  
"I have the DSA's you asked for. Surprisingly enough, they were really easy to find."  
  
Broots helped himself to the DSA player that sat at the end of her desk. Opening it up, he inserted the first disk from the surgery.  
  
Miss Parker watched in silence as the time of death was called and as the surgeon said he was sorry for their loss. What really got to her was her father's efforts at saving her life. He even went so far as to use a drug that Raines had invented. The same one that Jarod had nightmares about. They used a drug that was tested on Jarod.  
  
Her father tried to save her. Her, his daughter, her. Miss Parker couldn't get her head around it. He had never before showed any signs that her cared for her that much.  
  
Removing the first DSA, Broots placed the second one in.  
  
######  
  
_"Why isn't she awake Raines?"  
  
"She will be ... unconscious for a while. She just... had surgery to repair ... internal bleeding. She died on the table ... and waited almost seven minutes before ... we brought her back. She will be asleep ... for a while to come. Mr Parker, ... she might not wake up, ... there was a long period between ... the time she died and when ... she was revived. If she does wake up, ... she might have suffered ... brain damage." Raines stated.  
  
"I want tests done to find out. When I get my hands on the pretender, he will wish he never left Sydney's protection."  
  
Raines hurried off to do as he was told.  
  
Mr Parker sank down into a chair near the bed, picking up his daughter's hand, he started to sob softly.  
  
"Angel, don't leave me, please angel."  
_  
#####  
  
Miss Parker felt a small smile spread over her face. Her father did love her, he just didn't know how to show it.  
  
"Thank you Broots. I appreciate you finding these for me." Parker said softly.  
  
"Uh, um, not a problem Miss Parker." Broots said back before scurrying out of the room.  
  
Parker sat there for a few more minutes with a smile on her face. This had to be the best day of her life. Her father did love her. She just couldn't get her head around the display of concern he had shown.  
  
Miss Parker wasn't aware that she was off with the pixies until Sydney snapped his fingers in front of her face.  
  
"Miss Parker?" Sydney asked cautiously.  
  
"What?!" Parker snapped at the older man.  
  
"I have been calling your name for ten minutes now. Is everything alright Miss Parker?" Sydney said, concern apparent in his voice.  
  
"Peachy."  
  
"How are you coping with the knowledge that Jarod..." Sydney adverted his stare as he left the sentence unfinished. He still couldn't believe Jarod would do this to her, to anyone.  
  
"Fine Syd. I don't need you playing mummy to me." Miss Parker said harshly. She knew Sydney was worried about her, but she really was fine. Well, would be, as soon as she could belt the living shit out of rat-boy!  
  
"I'm here if you ever need to talk." Sydney said sincerely.  
  
"Thanks Syd." Miss Parker said as she stood up from behind her desk. "But if you don't mind, I would like to go and check up on Dr Mercy."  
  
"Please check on Jarod for me Miss Parker."  
  
"I thought he was off of your Christmas card list." Miss Parker said, a little hurt.  
  
"Miss Parker, I am sorry for what he did to you. I am angry at him, disappointed, upset with him. But he has been placed into the care of a doctor that we know nothing about. We don't know her tactics, her methods. She could very well destroy him and there's nothing I can do but check that he is still alive. For me Miss Parker, please make sure he isn't in any life threatening danger." Sydney begged.  
  
"Does that danger include me?" Miss Parker hissed.  
  
"Miss Parker." Sydney scolded gently.  
  
"Fine, what ever." She gave in with a wave of her hand as she exited her office.  
  
"Thank you." Sydney said to the air before he too walked out.  
  
#######  
  
Jarod was assaulted by brutally cold water from all four corners of the cubicle. Man did he hate the public showers at the Centre. The cubicles were made off the back wall and two thin side walls. There was no front wall or door, leaving the cubical open for anybody too watch.  
  
Jarod was huddled in a corner, curled into a ball, trying to hide his nakedness and escape the cold assault.  
  
There were four shower hoses in the corners, ice cold water pelted down from them. There were no taps, he had no control over the pressure, the temperature or even over the duration.  
  
Mercy had Ryan rip off his Centre issue clothing, he then grabbed some gladwrap and proceeded to wrap his plastered arm in the plastic wrap. When he had finished with that, he got a plastic bag and stuck it over his arm, enclosing his hand and arm, tying the bag up at the end of the plaster. It wouldn't do for the plaster to get wet again.  
  
The water was gratefully turned off, Mercy must have thought ten minutes under the ice cold water was enough to wash the grime off of his tired body. Jarod heard Ryan and Mercy talking softly in front of the cubicle.  
  
Jarod thought that that was a bit weird. Never had he known someone with the power and authority that Mercy had to talk to the sweepers like this. Even Sydney didn't do it.  
  
She was asking about his day. About his girlfriend. She seemed genuinely interested as well. Not faking it like Miss Parker or Lyle would, but she was really interested. Mercy never ceased to confuse him. They stood there, talking, ignoring the shaking man. Jarod could actually hear his teeth chattering together.  
  
The pretender's head shot up at the sound of the click, click, click. Miss Parker was coming down. Why? He was actually starting to miss the sound of her heels, Mercy always seemed to be dressed in jeans and soft tops and flat shoes.  
  
He felt guilty for missing her, for wanting to see her beautiful face. He had hurt her badly, he knew Miss Parker was just down here to laugh at him, give him some sort of pain and frankly, he deserved it.  
  
"Ah Miss Parker, to what do we owe for this pleasure?" Mercy asked politely.  
  
Jarod knew Mercy wasn't afraid of Miss Parker. He had SIMed her for the most part. He could only get a little bit from her. This constant changing of personalities stopped him from doing a complete SIM. He couldn't get a whole picture from her, one minute she was sweet, nice, friendly, the next she was colder, meaner, scarier than Parker herself on a bad day.  
  
"I would like to talk to you, in private." She added once she saw Jarod in the corner, looking at her over his shoulder.  
  
"Here will be fine. What seems to be the problem?"  
  
"I want to know what you plan for franken-boy." Miss Parker hissed.  
  
"I want him to work, to do SIM's. I am willing to do anything to make this happen." Mercy said, looking briefly at the wet, cold man.  
  
"I want to talk to him, now." Miss Parker ordered.  
  
"As you wish." Mercy said and gestured with her hand for Miss Parker to go to him.  
  
Slowly walking into the small cubicle that contained Jarod, Miss Parker stood still, towering over him. Jarod slowly looked up at the woman. Turning around to face her, Jarod slowly started to stand up.  
  
"No! You stay on the ground. I don't want you ever to stand in my presence." Miss Parker hissed coldly.  
  
"Miss Parker, please. I'm sorry for what I did to you." Jarod said, finally getting it off of his chest. Since what happened only a couple of nights ago, Jarod hadn't had the chance to say he was sorry.  
  
"I don't want to hear it Jarod!" the use of his name from her was like a blow to the guts.  
  
"I'm sorry Miss Parker. I don't know what would have possessed me to hurt you so badly, you must believe that. I will stay here for the rest of my life and endure whatever torture they have planned for me, if it means you will one day forgive me. If it will mean that I know that your hurt and pain will be gone one day." Jarod was making it very hard for her to stay angry at him.  
  
Raking her eyes over the pretender's naked body, she was satisfied that he was in reasonable condition. Walking back the short distance to Mercy, Miss Parker asked for Sydney.  
  
"Is he in any life threatening danger?" She hated to ask these sort of things. If it was any one else, she would order an answer. But Mercy was annoyingly not intimidated by her.  
  
"For the time being no. If he co-operates, he will not be in any danger whatsoever, let alone life threatening."  
  
Nodding her head once, Miss Parker turned and walked out of the shower block.  
  
#######  
  
The day progressed slowly and typically for Miss Parker. She slowly progressed through the enormously high stack of mundane paper work. Signing her name, writing reports, going over expense accounts. It was so boring. All she wanted to do was to go back down to the genius and watch him suffer.  
  
Sydney had been in to see her once more. Offering his advice and help. Broots came in quickly to get her signature, even Lyle, the snake himself, came to see her.  
  
She could have lived without that visit.  
  
He came to her acting like a concerned brother. Offering his love and support, saying he was there if she ever needed something. Miss Parker wasn't blonde, she wouldn't fall for that trick.  
  
She could easily see the laughter, the evil, behind those eyes. He was playing her, pushing her buttons. He wanted her to react to his gentle yet callous teasing. Oh and she reacted alright, just not in the way he wanted her to.  
  
"I will always be here for you sis, you know that right?" Lyle had said.  
  
Miss Parker kept her face neutral for the most part, leaving a tinge of sadness in her eyes. Getting up from behind her desk, she walked around to where Lyle stood. Watching the confusion sweep across her younger brother's face, Miss Parker made the move that would win her this little battle.  
  
Stepping close to him, Miss Parker said,  
  
"I know Lyle, and I appreciate it."  
  
Moving in for the kill, Miss Parker flung her arms around Lyle's neck and gave him a hug, cuddling her head into the crook of his neck. Lye stood stock still. This wasn't what he planned, she was meant to get angry and yell at him. Not hug him!!  
  
Miss Parker stepped back, a smile playing her face.  
  
"Oh you bitch!" Lyle seethed. "How do you know I wasn't being genuine?!"  
  
"That's an easy one. You don't have a heart. Now if you don't mind, I have work to do." Miss Parker said, dismissing him.  
  
Miss Parker smiled at the short scene that had happened only a few short hours. She loved beating Lyle at his own games. Glancing out side the window, Miss Parker was surprised to see that the sun had set. Looking at the clock quickly, it read 21:02. Sighing heavily, Miss Parker put the pen down, grabbed her briefcase and left for the night.  
  
#######  
  
After the showers and Miss Parker's visit, Jarod was hauled back to his room naked. The humiliation was dreadful. They hadn't even given him a towel to cover himself with. Dr Mercy had clipped a leash onto the collar and led him through the corridors of the sublevel, talking happily to Ryan.  
  
Mercy had taken the leash off the damn collar and Jarod hands went to his neck, tugging on the collar and rubbing his sore neck.  
  
When the leash was clipped on, Jarod immediately went to unclip it, refusing to be lead around like a dog. The shocks stopped his hands in their tracks. Mercy had quickly taken out the small device and typed in three numbers, making sure Jarod wouldn't see the code. Jarod grunted and clenched his jaw in pain. After standing in the same spot for five minutes while he endured the random shocks, Mercy finally asked him,  
  
"Are you going to leave the leash alone when I clip it on?" she asked in a tone normally reserved for small children.  
  
After another shock, Jarod nodded his head.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Yes what Jarod?" Mercy asked sweetly.  
  
Hating himself, Jarod responded, "Yes, Dr Mercy."  
  
"Good boy." She smiled at him and turned off the electricity. "Lets get going."  
  
When they had gotten to his room, after the leash was taken off, the door slammed shut on the naked pretender. The cold air assaulting his naked body. Going over to the corner, Jarod sat down, wrapping his arms around the pillow again.  
  
They had left him there for the better part of the day, alone, cold, hungry.  
  
He had started to SIM some of his old pretends, he was growing bored fast, when the lights switched on, blinking, flashing, sweeping across the room. Jarod closed his eyes against the visual onslaught, he hated these lights.  
  
When they finally came, they came with clothes and food. Gratefully taking the offered warmth and security, Jarod slipped into the Centre issue pants and smock. Jarod's nostrils caught the smell of soup. Why soup? Why not steak? Or sausages? Don't these people know that variety is the spice of life?  
  
Taking the soup from the sweeper, Jarod brought it to his lips and started to eat it but stopped when a thought struck him. This is what happened last night. He had been naked and cold, Mercy came bearing gifts, clothing and food. He took the clothing and then the offered food. Pumpkin soup last night, tomato soup tonight. When he was finished he was given some sort of drug, the doctor claiming it was medicine.  
  
"Why aren't you eating you soup Jarod? You haven't eaten all day, I would have thought you'd to be hungry."  
  
"Am I getting the 'medicine' tonight?" Jarod asked darkly.  
  
"Of course Jarod. And I don't appreciate you implying that I would lie to you. Now finish your meal." Mercy finished with the soft order, effectively ending the discussion.  
  
She was somewhat surprised when Jarod put his bowl of soup down angrily. She had been warned that he was stubborn and tended to let morals and ethics get in the way of his work and rule his judgment. Sighing, Mercy looked at Jarod firmly,  
  
"Eat your food Jarod. You're acting like a child!"  
  
Jarod's eyes went dark as they filled with anger and hatred. Standing off the ground, he started to creep closer to Mercy.  
  
"And how would I know how to act like a child?! I was never allowed to be one! You people stole that from me, you stole my life! Thirty years you had me locked away like an animal, performing for you! Don't you..."  
  
Jarod's little rant was stopped in mid-sentence as he was thrown back to the ground. One sweeper sat on of the enraged pretender's chest, using his knees to pin Jarod's arms down. The other sweeper sat on his legs, successfully restraining him. Mercy towered over the man's face, looking down at him.  
  
Jarod let out a roar of frustration and anger.  
  
Mercy squatted down and jammed her fingers brutally into Jarod's cheeks, forcing his mouth open. Picking up the bowl of soup, she poured the hot liquid down his throat until it started to over flow his mouth. Pushing his jaw shut, Mercy covered the man's mouth with one hand while the other blocked his nose.  
  
Thrashing his head back and forth in an effort to remove the hands, Jarod realised had no choice but to swallow the liquid. When Mercy saw that Jarod had swallowed, she repeated the process until the soup was all gone.  
  
Pulling out the syringe, Mercy gained access to his right arm and plunged the needle into his vein and emptied its content into his blood.  
  
The three Centre employees got off of Jarod and exited the room before Jarod could even stand. Wiping the excess soup from around his mouth angrily, Jarod sat in his corner and hugged the pillow. All he could do now was to wait for the vomiting, flashes and shakes to come. 


	14. Surprise, surprise

Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Oh and the character of Dr Mercy belongs to me, though her name belongs to one of my beta's. Dhakota and Cassady are also my characters.

Authors note: A big thanks to Jaccione, Maestra and Mercy, I wouldn't have gotten this far with out you girls. Extra hugs for Jacci, this is now basically your story too.

Also, I am so very sorry on the wait for this. I have been extermly preoccupid. I apologise. I hope you like, please R&R :)

Chapter fourteen...

Jarod saw Mercy and two of her numerous sweepers walk into his room and he stood automatically. Over the last week he had endured the same routine. Every morning they came to take him to the showers, when he was done, they would leave him cold, wet and naked in the cell. No food would be given to him until later that night when they brought his clothing, that food would always be soup.

If he didn't eat it, they would force it down his throat. After he was fed, Mercy would inject the needle into the vein of his right arm and the nightmare would begin.

He would sit there cold, sick, shaking. It seemed to him like the withdrawal symptoms of a narcotic but it always happened after the drug was injected. He knew it wasn't a narcotic for the simple fact that he wasn't craving it.

Walking unrestrained, like he did every morning, to the showers, Jarod got undressed and stood under the ice cold spray.

He just stood there, unmoving, letting the water run down his body. It had been a whole week since he was caught. A whole week! He hadn't seen one single chance at escape, there was no way he could get the collar off. With it on, as soon as Mercy realised he was gone, the collar would be activated. He needed to know how much distance he had to put between the Centre and himself before the collar would be out of range. There might be a chance that it operated similar to a cell phone. Using the towers around the country to send it's signal, and in that case, he was royally screwed.

He listened jealously to the conversation behind him. He had rarely been spoken to since his capture. He felt so much more isolated and alone when there was no-one to talk to. Talking to people and learning new things always kept him amused, always kept his mind turning over with discoveries. He didn't have that pleasure anymore, and it was killing him. Mercy was chatting to her sweeper about some one doing something very stupid, Jarod couldn't catch the name. He desperately wanted to turn around and join in on the conversation, but knew he couldn't.

When the water shut off automatically, Jarod turned around and stepped out of the cubicle. After pulling off the plastic protection for his cast, Jarod waited for Mercy and the sweepers to take him back to his room.

The pretender was surprised when Mercy handed him a towel and a pair of pants.

"Dry off then get dressed please Jarod."

Quickly doing as he was told, he was actually excited at the prospect that the routine had changed, Jarod slipped into the thin cotton pants. Towelling his hair dry, Jarod stood still, waiting for what would come next.

"Come on Jarod, it's time to see the doctor." Mercy said gently, urging him forward with one hand on his back.

Jarod stood still. He remembered the last visit to the doctors, the violation. He didn't exactly want to go through that again.

"Jarod. Lets go. He is a busy man and I don't want to keep him waiting." And when Jarod refused to move again, Mercy stepped in front of his face.

"Jarod, we are not looking for any concealed items. He will not be doing that to you again, now please come along." Mercy tried to persuade Jarod to start walking.

She didn't want to use violence to make him do things all the time, he would get use to it quickly and frankly she enjoyed confusing the poor man with her softness and her kind voice. So instead she acted as if he were a child and gently spoke to the frightened man. And apparently the technique worked just fine, Jarod slowly started to walk to the doctor's office.

#######

"Dad, you wanted to see me?" Lyle asked as he walked into his father's office.

"Yes, sit down Lyle." Doing as his father told him, Lyle looked expectedly at the chairman.

"I need a someone to help with a project. I want you to do it."

Lyle looked at his father in puzzlement.

"What project and why me?"

"Now that the pretender is back where he belongs, I can have you on other projects. There is another pretender that seems to be having problems complying."

Taking the drift, Lyle stood up to leave. If he couldn't have any fun with the genius, he could at least play with this lower pretender.

"Lyle, one more thing." When Mr Parker saw Lyle stop he went on, "Don't anger your sister about what happened to her. If she decides to shoot you, I will not be able to stop her."

Hiding his disappointment, Lyle left.

#######

So far so good, the doctor had kept his hands away from Jarod's body. He sat on the cloth covered cot waiting. Mercy and the other doctor seemed to be discussing him. Every few minutes, they would glance at him, which made Jarod feel very uncomfortable.

"Alright, I think we shall start." The doctor said coming closer to Jarod.

The man on the cot shuffled back slightly when he saw the doctor approaching, shooting an anxious glance at Mercy, she shook her head softly. The gesture was both telling him to stay still and not to worry.

The doctor reached out and grabbed the plastered arm and proceeded to cut the plaster off. Jarod's brow creased in confusion and he decided to speak up, "Why is the cast coming off? It's only been on for a week since Sam refractured it. It will not have healed."

"Shhh Jarod, let the doctor work." Mercy scolded gently.

After the cast was removed, Jarod was led into an adjoining room where his arm was x-rayed. Jarod waited patiently while the two doctors talked. Jarod was fidgeting with the collar, he was nervous and agitated. What was taking so long? What were they doing? Jarod's eyes scanned the room, looking for any possible tools that would assist in getting this god damn collar off his neck.

Mercy came back over to him with a smile on her face. A happy smile on her face.

"It worked. It actually worked!" Mercy beamed.

Picking up Jarod's right arm, she hit it firmly. Jarod was amazed when it didn't hurt, much.

"It worked!" Mercy said happily again.

"Why isn't it broken anymore?" Jarod asked. Looking at his right arm, Jarod spotted the marks from the continuous injections. "It really was medicine?" Jarod asked stunned. She told the truth.

Since when do Centre employees tell the truth? Since when do they know the meaning of truth? the pretender thought dryly.

"Of course it was Jarod. Now let the doctor examine you and then we can get going."

"No!" Jarod said pulled away from her. "You used me as a god damn test subject!"

"Jarod. Please quite down." Mercy told him off gently.

"I will not! You jabbed me full of needles and experimental drugs just for you fun! No!" He shouted at her. "I am NOT a bloody LAB RAT!!!"

Mercy had had enough and pulled out the small device and zapped Jarod.

It was only low voltage, but the electricity that run through him form the collar was enough to make Jarod grunt and silence his rant.

"I will do what I want to you. Now let the doctor finish his job."

#######

Lyle exited the elevator on SL 16. Walking confidently down the corridors, Lyle went to the residential wing and found room 227. Opening the door and looking around, Lyle spotted what he wanted.

Sitting cross-legged on the single bed, was a teenage girl. She wouldn't have been any older than 16. Once she spotted Lyle, she jumped to her feet and stood at the far wall, head down.

"You must be Cassady."

"Yes sir."

Looking the girl over, Lyle saw her deep brown eyes. They were big, soulful, brown eyes. She was brunette and had soft pale skin, it almost looked like porcelain.

"I hear do not want to cooperate with your handler?" Lyle asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's just that..." The young girl was interrupted.

"I asked if you were cooperating, not why." Lyle said in a cold, hard, authority filled voice. "Now answer the question."

"No sir, I'm not cooperating." The girl said, she knew she was condemning herself to punishment.

"Come with me." Lyle said as he walked out of the room.

#######

The doctor had done the examination with minimal touching, Mercy must have told the doctor that he would be scared of having done to him what had happened the first time. The pretender didn't understand why she would do that, why she would save him the pain, especially after his tantrum about being a lab experiment.

Mercy and her two sweepers had taken Jarod to a SIM lab containing only a chair. It was completely bare, no tables, no work sheets, no props for a SIM, just the chair. Jarod was about to protest and remind them that he wouldn't do any SIM's when Mercy talked first.

"Sit him in the chair, restrain him please Mathew."

Jarod looked startled as the order was given. It was never a good thing to be tied down in the Centre. That's when all the bad things began. Before Jarod had a chance to react, the sweepers had him in the chair, restraining his hands behind his back with handcuffs. The sweepers tied Jarod to the chair with a length of rope, tying it tight enough for the rope to cut into his flesh across his chest as they wrapped the rope around his torso.

"Jarod, we are not going to try to complete a SIM today," Mercy started, only for Jarod to interrupt her.

"I am not doing any SIM's for you, ever!" Jarod seethed.

"Don't make a promise you can't keep." Mercy growled back in a deep, dark voice.

Jarod straightened up, shock and fear mingled on his face. She hadn't talked like that to him before, she was always sweet and nice yet held a dangerous gleam in her soft blue eyes. Now she was just plain dangerous.

"Why are we here then?" The pretender was a bit worried about the answer, if she didn't want SIM's, then what? Did he even want to know?

"Have you ever thought about piercing your nipple Jarod?" Mercy said curiously. He would look very cute with a silver ring and she could always hang a little silver M onto the ring. What fun she could have playing with the piercing.

"What?!" Jarod said alarmed. "Your not piercing my nipple, are you crazy?" Jarod asked horrified as he struggled in the chair in an effort to get free. There was no way on god's green earth that she was piercing his nipple!

"Why not?" She asked slightly disappointed. "They look good, and make a great sex toy." Mercy said with a flirting voice and a wink of her eye.

Jarod looked as if he would faint at any second. The idea of his new handler openly flirting with him and wanting to pierce him so she could have a sex toy was too much for the tired pretender to take in.

"Mathew, aren't you a qualified piercer and tattooist?"

"No ma'am, that would be me." The second sweeper spoke up.

"Oh sorry Shane. Do you think you could do a piercing for me?"

"My kit is in the car, if you don't mind waiting ten minutes for me to get it and set up."

"Scoot then."

"Yes ma'am." Shane said rushing out of the room.

"You can't do this! It's my body!" Jarod said with a raised voice.

"You belong to me now Jarod, there's nothing you can do about it." Mercy made it clear there was no arguing.

"You're not doing this!" Jarod yelled.

Mercy pulled out the small device from her pocket and activated the collar. Jarod knocked the chair over and landed with a loud thud when the shock hit his body. It took all of Jarod's might to not let the scream rip from his body. The shock lasted for quite a few seconds before Mercy turned it off again. Jarod hung his head panting. And didn't bother to look up when he felt the chair being hauled back to an upright position. He wasn't going to be able to stop this, she was set on piercing him.

"Dhakota, come back here now young lady!"

"I want my Mummy!" The young girl cried.

Jarod heard two people running in the corridor outside the SIM lab, one was obviously older, calling out to the girl who she was running after. Did he ever run off on his mum when he was younger?

She must be new! Jarod thought angrily, sadly. Why did they have to steal children? Why did they have to keep human beings prisoners? Why did they want people for guinea pigs?

Jarod's head shot up when he heard the door open and footsteps running in the SIM lab.

"Mummy, Mummy, Mummy!!" The little girl called.

Looking at the girl run across the room, Jarod would have fallen off the chair if he wasn't tied down.

"Mummy!!" The girl cried as Mercy picked up the child.


	15. Body peircing avalible to all Pretenders...

Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Oh and the character of Dr Mercy belongs to me, though her name belongs to one of my beta's. Dhakota and Cassady are also my characters.

Authors note: A big thanks to Jaccione, Maestra and Mercy, I wouldn't have gotten this far with out you girls. Extra hugs for Jacci, this is now basically your story too. Smiles thanks.

Chapter fifteen...

Jarod was flabbergasted. Mummy? Mercy? A mother?

A woman run into the room seconds after the girl was picked up.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry. She got away from me. I'll take her back now." The woman said making a move towards the girl in Mercy's grip.

"That's quite alright, I'll bring her back when I'm ready."

"Yes ma'am." After the lady left the room, Mercy turned to her daughter.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Mercy asked concerned, Jarod was totally forgotten.

"I don't like it here Mummy, can we go home?"

"Oh sweet heart, I know you don't like it here. But Mummy didn't have a choice, your Aunty Suzie was sick and I couldn't get you a babysitter."

"Mummy, I want to go home."

"Dhakota, I'm working. We can't go home till later tonight, you know that."

The young girl wiggled out of her mothers embrace and landed on the ground with a small thud. Crossing her arms and frowning, she looked at her mother and ordered her,

"Mummy let's go home now!" To add emphasis on her displeasure, Dhakota stomped her foot.

Glaring her daughter down, Mercy told the girl off.

"Don't you take that tone with me young lady." Softening up when she saw the tears in her child's eyes she went on, "What are you doing out of the room? I told you how important it was to stay there and not run off didn't I?"

"Yes Mummy." The child said softly.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"A man came to the room and was scary. He was looking at me funny. Mummy, I was scared. I didn't mean to get you mad at me Mummy." The girl said close to tears.

"What man, do you know his name?"

"Mr Wain... "Mercy could tell Dhakota was having trouble remembering

"Mr Raines?"

"Yes. He was scary Mummy." The girl said as she started to cry.

Picking her up again, Mercy rocked the child softly until she had calmed.

Jarod saw the resemblance as soon as the child entered the room. She looked to be about five, she had her mothers soft, golden blonde curls and blue eyes. She had the cutest little face and she seemed to be fairly smart.

The pretender now knew where the tone Mercy used a lot of the times on him came from. She was a mother. Jarod couldn't wrap his head around it, she was a mother. She was here about to pierce Jarod against his will, has been un-phased at his continuous sickness, was quite willing to torture him. How could she have a child?

Jarod sat quietly as he watched his captor comfort the upset and scared five year old. Jarod quickly diverted his gaze as Mercy looked his way, guiltily, the pretender slowly looked back at the women. Dhakota was on the ground now, Mercy tightly holding her hand.

Dhakota was curiously looking around the bare SIM lab, her eyes eventually spotted the man tied to the chair. Looking back up her mother, the innocent girl asked,

"Mummy, who is that man? Why is he all tied up like a robber?"

Mercy let out a laugh at how her daughter asked about the man, she never thought that Dhakota would catch her in this situation. What would she tell her?

"This is Jarod honey." Mercy began but stopped when her girl turned to Jarod.

"Hello Jawod." She said innocently, she knew no better.

Jarod looked at the kid in mild shock and amusement. It never failed to surprise him when a child befriended total strangers. They were so open, so friendly.

"Hel..." Jarod started to speak but a small shock cut him off.

Mercy had pulled out the device again and zapped him with a mild voltage. He must have hit a sensitive spot. Mercy really didn't want her daughter here or associating with the projects. Kneeling in front of her child, Mercy tried to explain why he was tied to a chair.

"Dhakota baby, Jarod is my work. He is why I work here. He escaped from here a few years ago and he was only just brought back. He isn't a normal person and has done bad things. He used to make things up with his mind,"

"Like magic?" Dhakota asked excitedly. She had a magician at her fifth birthday a few months ago. He made things happen with his mind.

"No sweetie. He would solve a problem, like maths. Or he would imagine up something that people could use to hurt or kill people. Jarod made up a lot of things that killed innocent people. So he has to stay here. We had to tie him down so he wouldn't run away again and hurt any more people." Mercy finished.

Dhakota looked confused for a few moments while she tried to work out what her mum had just said. This man didn't look like he could hurt any one. To her, he looked friendly and a bit sick. But Mummy doesn't lie. Looking over at Jarod, she frowned at him then turned away angrily.

"Mummy, if he makes things up to hurt people, why doesn't the police man take him to jail?"

_Ha, ha! She's got you there doctor!_ Jarod thought angrily. How could she tell her daughter this? How could she actually tell her daughter the truth but leave out the fact that he was MADE to do those things!

"Because Jarod could get out of jail. He is very smart. The police men wouldn't be able to keep him in there. So to keep people and my special little girl safe, he is kept here. Do you understand?" Mercy asked. She knew her daughter was smart, but she seemed to be a little too insightful for her liking at the moment.

Dhakota didn't answer her mum, instead she started to twirl around in a circle laughing when her dress flew up in the air. Smiling down at her daughter, Mercy only just caught the whisper.

"It wasn't my fault."

Turning abruptly on her heel to face Jarod, Mercy raised her eyebrow and asked,

"Excuse me? It wasn't your fault? It was you alone that thought up the simulations that killed hundreds if not thousands of innocent people. You made up a perfect way of kidnapping witness's out of police protection, you created a virus deadlier than small pox, you..."

"Do you think I had a choice in the matter? Do you think I would have done it if I could have said no?" Jarod defended himself, raising his voice a little, forgetting about the young child.

"Don't you ever interrupt me!" Mercy growled back, her face showing her anger.

"Then don't accuse me of killing people when I didn't!" Jarod was starting to breathe heavily, all thoughts of punishment gone out of his mind. Jarod tried in vein to escape his bindings, he tried to struggle as best as he could, tried to get out of the damn chair, but they had tied the ropes to tight.

"You did! You may not have pulled the trigger, but you damn well loaded the gun!" Mercy yelled.

Tilting her head slightly, a frown creasing her features, she asked, "Why didn't you say no? It is such a simple word, surely nothing they could have done to you would be worse than having the deaths of thousands of innocents on your conscience." Mercy said softer. She didn't understand why he didn't just say no.

The sobbing of the frightened child brought the adults back to reality. They had forgotten that they had an audience. Rushing over to her daughter, Mercy scooped the crying child into her arms.

"Oh honey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Rocking the child softly on her hip, Mercy tried to sooth her. "Shhh, it's alright, sweetie it's all ok, it's over now. I'm sorry I yelled, I didn't mean to frighten you."

Sniffing, Dhakota wiped the tears away with the back of her arm, "I wasn't scared Mummy, I'm a big girl."

Smiling, Mercy looked back at the hurt look on her daughters face, "I know you are baby, I know you are."

Jarod opened his mouth to apologise to the girl as well, and hell, even Mercy. He shouldn't have lost his temper, he normally controlled his emotions better than this. Before a single syllable could exit his mouth, Mercy snapped at him,

"Don't! Don't you dare talk to my daughter." Pulling Dhakota over to her other hip and out of Jarod's sight, she ordered, "Mathew, tell Shane to get prepared for our session when I get back."

Mathew stepped out of the shadows in the far corner of the room. When he saw Mercy's kid run into the room, he backed off not wanting to frighten the girl.

"Don't let Jarod out of your sight. If he speaks or moves, do what you guys do best. He can sit and stew over the fact that he will soon be my little sex toy." Mercy said in an ice-cold voice.

"Mummy, what's a sex toy? Can I have one?" Dhakota asked, she wanted a new toy and if Mummy has one of these toys, they must be good.

"When your older darlin'." She said with out taking her eyes off of an ashen Jarod. "Lets go have some lunch. How does spaghetti sound?"

The young girl squealed with excitement and as they started to walk out of the room, Mercy saw Jarod looking longingly at them. He hadn't eaten anything for the whole week. His body rejected every bowl of soup he was feed. Spaghetti would have been pure bliss for him, he didn't bother to hide the thought of food from his face either. She would have to give him real food tonight if he behaved.

Miss Parker had gone down to SL 5 to seek Broots out. He wasn't anywhere to be found, not in her office, or Syd's or even his office, so she tried the only other place she could think of, the tech lab. Unfortunately, she had spotted Lyle walking towards her with a girl. His hand holding her upper arm in a death grip.

Lyle had his head turned towards her with an angry look on his face, he didn't even see Miss Parker till she stood in front of him, blocking his path.

"I knew Asian was so last season." Miss Parker said with a fake smile.

"Out of my way Parker! I'm busy!" Lyle growled trying to side step her.

"Yes I can see that. Since when did beating on young girls become part of your job description?"

Miss Parker felt sick. This girl who was no older than 15, maybe 16, and she had a nasty collection of fresh bruises on her face and a split lip.

"Keep your nose out of it sis, now move out of my way!" Lyle seethed. God damn Parker, why did she always have to make things so damn hard?

"Who is she? She isn't one of your extra curriculum hobbies. She seems to be Centre property, so explain to me why you're beating on her?" Parker had gone into full ice queen mode.

"I don't know. Why don't you go and ask dad?"

Miss Parker pulled her head back a bit in shock.

"Are you taking her back to her space?"

"Yes, as soon as you move."

Grabbing the girl's arm, she pulled her out of Lyle's grip, "I'll do it. Now if you don't mind, I have places to be."

Walking off with the girl, Miss Parker heard Lyle yell in the background,

"Wait till dad hears about this Parker!!"

"Dobber." Miss Parker said softly.

When the doors shut to the elevator, Miss Parker let go of the scared girl.

"What floor are your quarters?"

"S-sixteen, r-room 227 m-ma'am." She stuttered.

Pushing the button for SL 16, Parker turned to face the terrified teenager.

"What's your name?"

"Cassady ma'am." She was becoming confident fast.

"What was the punishment for?" Miss Parker gestured to the bruises on her face.

"Not cooperating with Mitchell, my handler ma'am."

"Mitchell, he sounds familiar." Miss Parker said aloud. Then it clicked. He had been brave enough to slap Miss Parker's arse one day.

"Do you like Mitchell Cassady?"

After a minute of silence, the girl answered, "No ma'am, he is a replacement while Sara is away. He touches me funny." She said softly.

Snapping her head around to face Cassady, she asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"When he leans over my shoulders to read my work, he puts his hand on my breast ma'am. Sara doesn't do that. And sometimes he rests his hands on my buttocks. I don't like it."

"When does Sara return?"

"Tomorrow ma'am."

"Do you have any SIM's scheduled before then?"

"No ma'am."

"Good, I'll take care of Mitchell for you." Miss Parker said, a predatory smile claiming her lips.

"Yes ma'am."

The door binged open and Miss Parker led the way out and down to the residential wing. Keying in her high security level code, she gestured the girl into the room.

"What is it that you do Cassady?"

"I'm a pretender ma'am."

"Perfect, just what we need. Another disobedient pretender." Miss Parker said distractedly, thinking of Jarod. "I expect you to obey Sara, I don't want to hear that you are being uncooperative. I will make sure the little rodent pays for touching you like he did." There was unmistakable gleam in her eyes, she was going to enjoy this.

"Are you alright, or do I need to send a medic down to your room?" Miss Parker asked somewhat softly as she lifted the girl's head up to look closer at the marks.

"No ma'am." Cassady said softly, lowering her head when Miss Parker let her go.

"Good. I will check on you tomorrow when Sara returns and speak to her about your problems." Miss Parker finished as she walked out of the room.

"Your daughter is interfering with my work again!" Lyle seethed as he stormed into his father's office.

"Lyle, do please be polite next time and have my secretary buzz you in."

"Dad! She just took Cassady from me. She is starting to get on my nerves."

"Did you accomplish what I asked?" Mr Parker asked in a neutral tone, not really interested in his son's whining.

"Yes, but..."

"Good. That will be all Lyle." Mr Parker said, effectively dismissing the angered man.

Lyle sighed angrily and walked back out of the office.

Sydney and Broots had decided to meet up for lunch today and had gone down to the cafeteria on SL 2. It was Broots that saw the strange sight.

"Sydney, isn't that Dr Mercy?"

Turning in his seat to look at where Broots was looking, Sydney saw his protégé's new handler with a child.

"I wonder what she is doing with a child in the cafeteria?" Sydney asked more to himself.

They watched in wonder as Mercy picked the child up and pointed out different treats, laughing and tickling her. They continued to watch the pair as Mercy took the food and the child to a table and sat down, tucking a serviette into the girls dress.

"Sydney, it's her daughter! She has a daughter!!" Broots said in shock.

"How can you be sure Broots?"

"Sydney... I have a daughter. I know when the child is theirs. I wonder if Miss Parker knows?"

"We will soon find out. Come on Broots."

Broots got up and followed Sydney in their search of the famed ice queen.

Jarod had sat quietly and unmoving for the last hour. His mind was trying to process all the information he had received. It was still mind blowing that Mercy had a child. How could she do these things to him? It annoyed and angered him to no end that she had told her daughter only half of the truth.

Yes, he had killed all those people, but he had no choice. Look at what happened when he finally said no to them. Kenny was executed right in front of him. What would have happened if he had said no years earlier?

He felt so guilty for yelling at Mercy like that in front of her child. She didn't deserve to witness Jarod's petty outburst. She was innocent and the pretender didn't want to do anything to jeopardise that precious gift.

Jarod started slightly when he heard the doors open. Looking up he saw Mercy walk in by herself. Ignoring Jarod, she walked over to Shane and where he had set up the sterilized instruments.

"Are we ready to begin the show?"

"Yes ma'am. I will need the pretender to be untied. I can't have anything obstructing the needle or the blood flow around the area."

Causally strolling over to the tied man, Mercy lent in close to his ear.

"I expect you to behave. Be a good boy and you won't be zapped am I understood?" Mercy whispered coldly before she slapped his face twice softly.

"Untie him." Mercy ordered as she stepped back slightly.

Mathew stood behind the man and quickly untied the rough rope that was wrapped around his chest. Before Mercy had a chance to blink, Jarod had jumped up from the chair and rammed his shoulder forcefully into her gut with a growl of anger. Mercy fell to the ground with Jarod on top of her. With his hands still cuffed behind his back, Jarod had trouble doing anything once he had gotten Mercy onto the ground.

Jarod tried to get up to continue the attack, struggling, twisting and squirming on top of Mercy. The woman pinned underneath the tall man growled for him to get off of her, punching his body as best as she could.

The sounds of click, click, click from Miss Parker's heels filled the room, Jarod froze as he heard the clicking of her heels cease and the tell tale sign of the safety being removed from a gun.

Jarod was about to turn his head to look up at the woman he knew would be there but the sharp pain of the 9 mm being jammed behind his ear prevented him. Miss Parker bent down next to the cuffed man, grabbing a fist full of hair, the angered ice queen violently pulled his head back.

Jarod was helpless to stop the grunt of pain escaping his lips. Leaning in close to the man that was currently on top of the struggling woman, Miss Parker whispered cruelly into his ear,

"What? One woman wasn't enough for you? You just can't help yourself! Does it turn you on that much when you force your lab-rat arse onto others?!"

"Miss Parker, you don't understand! This isn't what it looks like!" Jarod pleaded desperately.

"Really? Cause to me it looks exactly like it is!"

Standing up suddenly, her hand still in the pretender's hair, she dragged Jarod up along with her, ignoring the cry of pain. Jarod could feel the fury radiating from her. The struggling pretender tried with all his might to stand up with her, his hair painfully pulling at his scalp.

"What has gotten into you?! Are you trying to get back your horny teenager years?!" she growled.

Jarod was thrown over to the chair, crashing heavily into it and landing on the floor, yelping as his arms twisted painfully underneath him. Stalking over to the grounded pretender, Miss Parker grabbed him by his hair again and hauled him off the ground. Once again she ignored the cry that escaped wonder-boy's lips.

Violently pushing the cuffed man back, Miss Parker took a few steps closer to close the gap that she had made between the two of them. Not giving Jarod any warning or signals, she swang her fist and punched Jarod across his face, splitting his lip.

Jarod staggered back a few steps before he looked at her advancing form. Before Miss Parker had a chance to assault the pretender again, Mercy had stepped in her way.

"Miss Parker, settle down. If you want Jarod punished, I will be happy to let you see what we have planned for him."

Glaring daggers at the beautiful blonde, the ice queen side stepped her and stalked towards Jarod once more. She made no attempts to be gentle as she shoved him roughly to the overturned chair, ordering in a deep growl,

"Sit down franken-boy before I shoot your worthless arse!"

Jarod waited for Mathew to pick the chair up before he gingerly sat down.

"Shane, are you ready for the piercing?" Mercy called out to the sweeper who had his gun still trained on the pretender.

"Yes ma'am."

"You're piercing him?" Miss Parker asked sceptically with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, his nipple to be exact."

"And you think this is punishment?" This wasn't what she personally had in mind, but when in Rome.

"No, not really. But it will be so much fun to play with, won't it Jarod?"

"You're not piercing me!" Jarod growled, and for his efforts earnt a slap across the back of his head. Leaning forward slightly, so he could look over his shoulder, Jarod shot the sweeper a venomous glare.

"He won't like it, so it will be punishment enough. Mathew, tie him down firmly, keep his chest free. Shane prepare for the piercing."

Jarod went to stand up and back away from the threat of the piercing but Mathew grabbed his shoulders and forced him to sit still.

"Wait!" Parker called.

Jarod let a sigh of relief out. She was going to stop this insanity, she was going to save him.

"Let him do it himself." She hissed maliciously.

Jarod recoiled slightly in shock. She wasn't serious was she?

Did you really expect her to save you? You sure you're a genius now? Jarod thought to himself angrily. Idiot!

"If it will please you Miss Parker. Shane, please demonstrate to Jarod how to preform a piercing."

"Yes ma'am."

The sweeper held a long needle in front of Jarod's face, showing how to pierce the nipple and slip the ring through in one smooth motion. Stepping closer to the restrained man, Shane took a hold of the pretenders nipple, squeezing it lightly with a clamp. Ignoring the hiss of pain from the man, Shane showed with the needle, where he had to pierce the sensitive flesh in order to get a correct piercing.

During the demonstration, Mathew had to hold the pretenders face still, stopping him from looking away. After Shane had placed the instruments back on the tray and he and Miss Parker had drawn their guns, Mathew let the man go and un-cuffed him.

The free man looked around to see two guns aimed on his chest, Miss parkers aimed slightly lower. Realising he had no choice what so ever, Jarod decided to make the easier choice and just get it over with.

Angrily grabbing the clamp, Jarod clenched his jaw shut in pain as he tightly clamped his left nipple. Picking up the needle with trembling hands, Jarod slowly started to push it through the already throbbing flesh. Pausing as it penetrated the first layers of the skin, Jarod took a deep breath and slipped into SIM mode, this wasn't him being pierced, it was someone completely different. Efficiently and quickly, Jarod finished the piercing and threaded the ring through the new hole.

Sighing, Jarod visibly shook his head, coming out of the mini SIM. Looking down at the slightly bleeding and bruised flesh, Jarod felt his hands being roughly pulled behind his back and cuffed. The rough sweeper pushed the tired and hungry man back down into the chair. Shane took something out of a bucket and handed it to Mercy.

Learning in close to the pretender, Mercy started to rub ice over the already swollen nipple. Seductively licking up the trails of water the melting ice made.

"Well done Jarod. You just completed your first SIM back at the Centre. Didn't I warn you about making promises you can't keep?" Mercy asked with raised eyebrows.

Jarod hadn't even realised what he had done until Mercy had informed him. Growling at her, Jarod tried to push her off of his chest but she placed her spare hand on his bare flesh and pushed him back into the chair.

Miss Parker stood frozen in her spot as a flashback run behind her eyes like a movie.

_Jarod lay on the bed, naked, holding an equally naked Miss Parker on his stomach. His hands resting possessively on her slender hips._

"_Jarod, I have an idea!" _

_Climbing off of him, she reached over to the pile of clothes laying uselessly on the ground, and fished out a pair of hand cuffs. Letting them dangle from her index finger, she grinned mischievously,_

_Cuffing one of Jarod's hands, she looped the manacles through the bed head and pulled Jarod's wrist up to it and cuffed him. There was a sparkle of victory flashing in her eyes for a few seconds before it disappeared._

_Leaning over the chained man, she leant down and kissed him hard. Running her hands over his chest, Parker played with his nipples for a few seconds before they moved further south. Never once breaking the kiss._

_She moved her mouth slowly over to his earlobe, leaving messy kisses on her way. She noticed Jarod trembling, abandoning her sucking, Miss Parker sat up and looked at the man._

_He wasn't cold, the heat radiating from his body told her that much. There was pure, untamed terror in his eyes. Tears started to gather, his brow wrinkled. Jarod continued to shake violently, and was now tugging viciously on the cuffs that restrained him to the bed._

"_Please... let me go! I don't want to go back there! Please!" Jarod cried. _

_He wasn't here, he was somewhere else. Reliving memories, intermingling them with a made up moment. It was a stupid idea to bring out the cuffs. _

_Quickly grabbing the key, Parker unlocked the cuffs, scooping the man up into her arms. Making nonsense shushing noise and rubbing small circles on his back, the man finally calmed down._

_Wiping the tears from his eyes, he looked at the beautiful woman that had followed him home._

"_I'm sorry. I should have said something before you used the cuffs. I have a bit of a fear about being locked up, chained to things. I'm sorry." He whispered._

"_Shhh, it's ok. Here, why don't you pay me back and cuff me instead??" she said, a wicked grin spreading over her face._

_Jarod couldn't pass up the opportunity. He had always wanted complete and utter control. He had always had some control, but there was always other people ultimately controlling everything he did._

_Grinning like a school boy that just caught a glimpse of the girls inside the locker room, Jarod cuffed her to the bed._

"_Now I have an idea!" Jarod said excitedly before he jumped off of the bed and rushed into the kitchen._

_The retreating, bare arse was a sight made in heaven. Could he be anymore perfect?_

_Returning to the bedroom, Jarod stood in the doorway, propping his arm against the door frame and leant against the frame causally, he held up a bowl of ice._

"_Oh no you don't!" Parker warned. Satan would be eating a snow cone in Hell before she let him run ice cubes over her body!_

"_What choice do you have in the matter? As I see it, your chained naked to my bed, and as helpless as a newborn calf." Miss Parker saw that smile again. The gotcha grin._

_Picking up an ice cube from the bowl, Jarod sat over her legs, pinning her down._

"_Jarod, no, don't." Miss Parker pleaded in a desperate tone as she tugged on the cuffs._

"_No... no... no... no..." She repeated over and over again as Jarod slowly brought the ice cube down to run it down her neck and over her right breast._

_Squealing, Miss Parker wriggled hard underneath her captor._

"_Stay still! I won't have to hurt you if you stay still." Jarod said to the cuffed woman on the bed as she squirmed underneath his body._

"_Just stay still alright." Jarod had ordered her._

_Picking up another piece of ice, he held it in front of the woman's face. _

"_I don't want to hurt you, but if you don't keep that cute arse still, I might just have to." Jarod said in mock seriousness, trying and failing to keep the smirk off of his face_

_Squealing again as he tortured her smooth skin with the cold weapons._

Blanching, Miss Parker realised that maybe Jarod hadn't raped her! But how could the bruises all over her body be explained? If Jarod didn't rape her, and if she had known this the morning she woke in his bed, she wouldn't have called the Centre. For her sake, she truly hoped that he did actually rape her, and that her memories were playing games on her. Otherwise the life that he now is living, if you could call it a life, would be all her fault.

Miss Parker shook her head clear and looked over at the scene playing out in front of her.

Mercy had finished with the ice, seeing the swelling go down slightly. Standing back a step, she stared at Jarod for the longest time, just staring at him. Jarod shifted slightly under the scrutiny but made no move to deflect or interrupt her inspection.

After what seemed an eternity, Mercy spoke and broke the deadly silence,

"So do you like it?"

Jarod didn't lift his gaze from the floor, he sat there ignoring her.

"Jarod, please don't be so rude. Do you like your new ring?"

Once again Jarod stubbornly ignored her.

"Grow up! You're a man Jarod, don't sulk!"

Closing the small gap she had made, Mercy went to the fresh wound and tugged hard on the ring. Jarod let out a wail of pain.

"Don't ignore me boy!" Mercy growled.

Jarod and his stubbornness. It will get him killed one day. Miss Parker thought silently.

"God Jarod! You're acting as if you had the worst life in the world!" Mercy cried. He was a grown man, she hated it when they sulked.

"And you think I don't?!" Jarod snapped back. That got his attention.

"Your such a damn drama queen Jarod!" this was like talking to a teenager.

"I think I have earned that right."

"Are you so self-absorbed, so self-centred, that you actually believe you have the worst life on earth? I can name so many other people that have had it worst then you."

"Go on..." Jarod challenged.

Jarod was normally the sort of person to know when to shut the hell up, but the throbbing pain in his chest, his hunger, fatigue and his anger at being treated like a piece of meat clouded his sense of self preservation.

"You really are that naïve!" Mercy said in frustration. Pacing, she started.

"What about all the people that don't have a home, somewhere to sleep at night? Or the ones that have no food and need to rummage through rubbish to find scraps to eat? Or the orphans passed around from one abusive family to another?" seeing that this wasn't working, she went for a more dramatic fact.

"Or how about the millions of Jewish people that had to leave their homes, their lives? Had to line up and watch love ones enter gas chambers, hear their screams, their cries of help. If they weren't killed they were shipped off to labour, concentration or death camps. They had to watch their love ones die. They were starved, raped, bashed, tortured. The unlucky twins that were used for experiments were lucky if they lived a few months." Mercy said angrily, her pacing becoming faster, her voice colder, harder, louder.

"There is a story that will never leave me. The Angel of Death use to drain the blood of one twin and transfuse it into the body of the other twin, in hopes that it would mean that the woman would give birth to twins herself. You know what happened to one baby when it wasn't a twin?" She paused slightly, taking in a deep breath, forcing herself to continue the story her mother used to tell her.

"He threw it on the ground, stomped on it repeatedly, literally ripping it in half before he kicked it against the wall. Or what about the PoW's of the Japanese's? How they were brutally tortured! These people had to try and survive this. If they were lucky enough to live through the few years of torture, they were mostly screwed up for life!"

"Only a few years?" Jarod said back casually.

Miss Parker could see beneath the lie of Jarod's calmness. She knew him well enough to notice the small indications that he was in pretend mode. He wasn't showing Jarod the kind and caring, but Jarod the cold, heartless. This was one of his defence mechanisms.

His shoulders were slumped slightly, there was a small tremor in his voice. The greatest hint that Jarod wasn't himself was the pain, the sadness, the guilt that he tried to hide from his eyes. He would have SIMed the victims as Mercy reeled them off, he had briefly lived their horrendous lives.

Jarod was a stubborn man, he would not give Mercy the satisfaction at knowing that she was right. That Jarod indeed had a good life compared to some others. He would never admit that his life in isolation from the world wasn't actually as bad as he made it out to be.

Miss Parker saw this, Mercy didn't.

Mercy froze, her movements stilled. Slowly, she turned to face the calm Jarod. Stalking over to him dangerously, Mercy grabbed him by his metal collar and pulled him from his chair. Landing on his knees with a heavy thud, Jarod looked up at the enraged woman.

"How dare you say that!" Mercy seethed with barley suppressed fury. "How fuckin dare you!"

The woman quickly delivered a few hard kicks to Jarod's stomach. Hunching over in pain, Jarod saw Miss Parker standing quietly in the corner, ignoring the danger he was in. This was the first time Mercy had physically attacked him.

"Mathew! Get him up. I want you two to take him to the showers. Shave his hair to a short crew cut, and get rid of any facial hair. Throw him under the cold water for ten minutes. Do not un-cuff him or undress him. Afterwards, I want you to dip his head in fuel." Changing her glance from Mathew to Jarod, she explained.

"Fuel does not dry, they used it on the Jews to keep them wet and colder for longer." Glancing back to the sweepers she continued.

"Bash him senseless. Use the collar if you like. I want him barley conscious, but do not let him pass out. Keep him awake until I get there. I do not want him dead, but I do not want you holding back, you have my permission to do what you want to his sorry arse!"

"Yes ma'am." The sweepers said before they grabbed a shocked Jarod from the ground and started to drag him out.

Miss Parker stood in the way, there was a reason as to why she did come down here after all.

"Get out of their way Miss Parker." Mercy growled.

"I want to talk to him first. I came all the way down here, and don't want the trip wasted." Parker said back in a hiss. She would not let this woman tell her what to do. Jarod saw the slight hint of concern in her eyes, though she hid it well. She shouldn't worry herself with what will happen to him, not after what he did to her.

"Parker, move the hell out of the way."

"How dare you talk to me like that?"

"I'm warning you Parker! Get the fuck out of the way now!"

Before she had a chance to retaliate, Mercy had shoved her out of the way and stormed out with the two sweepers and a stunned Jarod.

Stopping the trio at an intersection in the corridors, Mercy leant in to Jarod. He could actually feel her rage.

"I wonder what Sydney would say to your reaction at what happened to the victims of the war!"

Seeing Jarod gulp, she stormed down the opposite corridor as what Jarod was now being dragged down.


	16. A vist from your favourite Doctor

Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Oh and the character of Dr Mercy belongs to me, though her name does not. Dhakota and Cassady are also my characters.

Authors note: A big thanks to Jaccione, Maestra, I wouldn't have gotten this far with out you girls. Extra hugs for Jacci, this is now basically your story too.

Chapter sixteen...

It was well and truly night time when Mercy returned to Jarod's cell. Entering, she saw the beaten pretender hanging limply by his wrists, which were chained by a length of chain from the ceiling. Mercy noticed Jarod losing consciousness, but quickly snapping his eyes open when Mathew activated the collar from his position in the corner, sitting on a chair.

Clearing her throat, both sweepers and the prisoner looked at their new visitor.

"Good evening Jarod. How do you feel?" Mercy asked kindly.

Jarod just stared at her, as if she had a third eye in her forehead.

"Did you guys hit his larynx?"

"No ma'am." Both sweepers answered in unison.

"Then please answer me Jarod. How do you feel?"

A bitter laugh escaped the weak and battered genius.

"Aside from the fact that I feel like some one has beaten me continuously for the last God knows how many hours, like I have been electrocuted too many times to count, like I have been abused verbally and emotionally, and like I have been forced against my will to stick a piece of metal through my own flesh, I feel just peachy!" Jarod slurred slightly, his lip badly split and swollen.

"Well I see your attitude is still in tact. Mathew, Shane, please leave us."

The two men got up and as ordered, left the cell.

Mercy circled Jarod like a shark trapping it's prey. She took in all of his injures. Burn marks, bruises, cuts, puncture wounds, and what looked like whip marks on his back. His new ring was still intact and strangely enough there were no marks around it. It would seem that the guys purposely made sure not to jeopardise the new piercing.

Jarod's face was severely bruised and swollen. His lip split, his eyes black, his right eye almost swollen shut. There were burn marks around the collar, it seemed like they had used the collar quite a lot and at high voltages.

Touching his ribs roughly, ignoring the hiss of pain from the injured man, she concluded that five were snapped. His wrists were bloody and bruised. His flesh torn to the point of almost being able to see the bones.

Mercy didn't bother to take his pants off to see what marks lay underneath them, from the rest of his body, she could pretty much guess.

The pretender's handler noticed the man shiver violently. Looking up to his now very short hair, she noticed that Mathew had followed her orders and dipped his head in fuel. Jarod was going to stay cold for quite sometime, and the fuel would burn like ice on his skin, and the smell would be so atrocious, it would make him feel sick. He would not be looking forward to the night ahead.

"So Jarod, do you appreciate the life God gave you?"

Jarod stayed obstinately quite, his head hanging low, his eyes diverted.

Bringing her long fingers up to the nipple ring, she took a hold and pulled hard on it. Jarod grunted in pain, his jaw clenched, he was trying hard not to show her how much he hurt.

"Jarod, do we need to go through this again? Now please answer the question." Mercy asked sickeningly sweet, though anyone could tell there was a nastiness under the sweet tone.

"I would appreciate the life God gave me if it wasn't for the Centre screwing it up!" Jarod growled from deep within his throat.

Sighing, Mercy went to the door and opened it. Reaching around the corner, she grabbed a plate of food from off the floor. Walking back to Jarod, she showed him the plate of spaghetti with Bolognese sauce. She saw Jarod's nostrils flare at the smell, his mouth open slightly, his tongue darting out to lick his dry lips.

He was so hungry, he could not remember the last time he ate a proper meal, or the last time his meal stayed in his stomach. He was beyond thirsty as well. The few mouthfuls of water he managed to drink while in the showers did little to ease his raging thirst.

"I got the chef to make this fresh for you, so you could eat something solid. Without the medicine you will be able to keep it down. I wanted to give you something special, knowing what you had endured today. The doctor's examination, the unfortunate meeting with Miss Parker, being pierced and your beating. Meeting my daughter would have surprised you somewhat, thrown you off balance. It's a lot for one person to go through in one day.

I wanted to give you something nice, to let you know that I'm not out to get you. I don't particularly like hurting you."

Jarod snorted in disbelief. She could not possibly expect him to believe that she didn't want to, even like, hurting him. There was no possible way for her not to be enjoying this.

Ignoring the interruption, Mercy continued, "I am a mother and it goes against all of my instincts to hurt you. But you left me no choice, and even after your lesson, you still won't admit that your life is not that bad. I'm sorry Jarod, but I can't allow you to eat this. You'll have to think about what you have here, how I can make it a living hell if I need to. And in the morning, if you decide that you can admit that one small fact, then you will be allowed some food."

Jarod stared sadly at the food as the resentment grew inside his soul. How could his life not be that bad? He was hanging by his torn wrists after being beaten and tortured for God only knows how long. He was starved, dehydrated, and about to collapse from fatigue. Who the hell was she trying to kid by saying his life wasn't that bad?

Jarod's eyes never once left the food, his stomach rumbling loudly. It smelt so good!! If only he could have one bite, just one small bite.

Mercy took the plate of food out with her, just as she was about to close the door, locking the cold, sore, hungry man in, she said one last word.

"Think about your life Jarod. Think about how much better, how much safer, how much warmer it was than Kyle's." With that the door slammed shut.

* * *

Miss Parker had finally gotten home. Pouring herself a scotch, she made her way to her room to strip out of her work clothes and to get into her silk pyjamas. Swallowing the drink, she made her way back down to the kitchen to grab a sandwich to eat, she hadn't eaten since breakfast and her body was now loudly protesting against the lack of food.

She sat at the table, staring at the salad sandwich, Broots and Sydney had found her shortly after Mercy had left with Jarod. Apparently Mercy had a daughter, a girl of five years old. Miss Parker had ordered Broots to find Mercy's file, she had wanted everything on her. Her parent's life, any brothers or sister and their lives, her child, past jobs, the whole nine yards. She got more than she had bargained for.

Mercy had always been smart, attending the best schools in the country, doing overseas study trips, participating in anything and everything she could get into. She had taken a job working in an experimental trial with prisoners form local jails. Finding the best ways to re-educate them. The trial was going extremely well, she was going extremely well, making the prisoners do what she told them when she told them. A complete 180 degree turn from the defiant jackarses they were.

Africa station had spotted her and offered her a job, training her up before sending her over to the Centre for her first project, Jarod. Starting with lower level residents, being their temporary handler while their mentors were away. She moved quickly up the ranks, gaining more permanent subjects. Her technique was very different from all of the other mentors and handlers. She would tell the truth for the most part, only ignoring the question asked of her if it would compromise too much. She would be gentle and caring, appearing soft and safe with her looks and mannerisms. Using kind tones to speak to the subject and coerce them using a motherly voice, pushing them only enough to get what she wanted.

When they failed to do as she ordered and her nice personality wasn't working, she would swing dramatically and quickly to fierce and dangerous. Using deep, dark growls to frighten them into obeying. Rarely did she need to use any sort of violence, any sort of dangerous personality. She loathed the use of unnecessary violence or cruelty.

For the harder subjects, she would humiliate them from the start, marking them as hers. Her most recognisable trait was the electrically charged collar and nipple ring. This would ultimately brand them as hers. When they became more difficult, she would use the collar to punish them, never resorting to her actually physically attacking someone herself.

She would take away all familiar surroundings, including sweepers. Mercy would use the effects of lights, temperature and sounds in the subject's space to make sleeping hard, with little rest they become more compliant more quickly.

She was a mixture Sydney and Raines in one. Not good for her subjects.

Dhakota was indeed five years old, born on the 8th of April. She showed accelerated intelligence like her mother had, already in grade two instead of prep. Though looking at her you would see a normal child. She was still naïve enough to think that what Mummy said was always true, though if you looked at her mathematics and languages, speaking two already, you knew she was smart.

Mercy's mother and grandparents had been in a concentration camp during the war, apparently they were Jewish. That would explain her outburst at Jarod earlier in the day. Her granddad never made it home, sent off to the gas chamber upon arrival at the camp. Her mother, an only child, clung to Mercy's grandmother for dear life during the years they had been locked up.

They had migrated over to America as soon as they were liberated and tried to forget what had happened to them. Mercy and her only other sibling, her brother, had been raised as Jews, being told of the atrocities that had happen to their family. They were told never to forget, and to always trust that God has a reason for everything.

Mercy had given up the religion as soon as she left home. She couldn't believe that her mother and grand mother believed that god had a reason for the torture the Nazi's did to them. She would never make that mistake, she would not believe that all things happen for a reason, she would not be vulnerable like that.

Her brother had been killed in a train derailment three years ago, on his way to Delaware to celebrate Dhakota's second birthday.

Broots dug a little deeper on her brother's death. In a file needing his or higher security pass, which excluded Mercy's, he found a file marked Jo-2264, he found links to his death.

Joshua, Mercy's younger brother, had been killed instantaneously when the trained derailed and collided with another oncoming passenger train. 164 people where killed, numerous others injured. The file by itself was unimportant, it was a connecting file that had gained the tech's attention.

File Prodigy- 148 was a Simulation Jarod had conducted while he was still under Sydney's influence. It was meant to make the trains safer, more efficient and cheaper for the government. It seemed that the SIM was sold to a terrorist group in the Middle East who then used it as an attack against America.

Jarod had no idea that this SIM was used to kill innocents, he still didn't know what a lot of his SIM's were used for. Miss Parker didn't have the slightest clue if Mercy knew this piece of vital information. Did she ask for Jarod? To avenge her brothers pointless death? Or did she have no idea, working with the murderer of her little brother?

The dilemma she now faced was, if Mercy didn't know, should she tell her?

* * *

Sydney woke the next morning with the same thoughts as what he had last night before he fell asleep.

It had been over a week since he had turned his back on his pleading protégé. Jarod had called out his name, asking him to wait, he had wanted to explain what had happened between himself and Miss Parker. But Sydney was too mad to even think about listening. He had heard Jarod swear at the sweepers in frustration and anger, he had heard a heavy thump which he presumed was Jarod being thrown to the ground.

He was so torn over the two sides. Should he stand his ground, support Miss Parker? Or should he give in and go down and see Jarod? He was still furious over what he had done to her, but this was Jarod. He had raised him from a small child, he had seen him grow into this magnificent man he is today. But he was still having trouble reconciling that Jarod could have done such a terrible thing.

Sydney so desperately wanted to check on him, make sure he was alright. Miss Parker had come back on the second day after seeing him to state that, though he looked a bit sick and a little scared, he was fine. It wasn't good enough but, he wanted to see him for himself, make sure he was alright. And he knew for certain that Miss Parker's definition of alright was very different to his. What he wanted most of all but was to sit and talk. He missed their chats, how simple and easily they use to talk. None of the teasing, or hints or accusations Jarod was known for after he left, but the fun, light-hearted chats they had before he learnt of the Centre's, of his, betrayals.

If he did manage to get authorisation to see his pretender, would he be able to look at Jarod and not get an image of him forcing himself onto Miss Parker? Would he be able to keep his anger in check? Only time would tell.

Getting up out of bed, Sydney proceeded to get ready for work, to get ready to see Jarod.

* * *

Sydney had arrived at the Centre around quarter to eight this morning, eager to see Mr Parker and get authorisation. It had just turned ten and still he couldn't get in to see the chairman. Broots had been in and out continuously all morning, getting papers signed so he could send them out, going through his files and taking papers. Miss Parker came in once, desperately wanting to talk about something.

"Syd, I need to talk... maybe Jar... it's just that.." That's all she had gotten out before she had left again.

It was very out of character for her to stop and start so much, for her to be so nervous and afraid that she couldn't hide it. He hadn't tried to push her, she would talk to him in her own time.

The aging psychiatrist looked up as the door opened once again. Looking up, Sydney was surprised to see Miss Parker's father enter his office. Standing up quickly, showing his respect, Sydney waited for the other man to speak first.

"You were trying to see me Sydney?"

Taking a minute to respond, Sydney was really surprised to see the chairman in his office, Sydney nodded.

"Yes Mr Parker. I want authorisation to see Jarod."

"I don't think that would be too wise."

"I need to talk to him about certain sensitive matters. It is important that I get to see him."

Sighing, Mr Parker knew these 'sensitive' matters were the rape of his daughter, if he could gain any more information about it's truth he would grant the old man access. He had a strong feeling that his daughter took advantage of Jarod's blank memory of the night and made the story up for attention. That wasn't like the Parker's, they didn't need attention from their fathers, he would find out if his daughter was being weak. The thought that his daughter was an actual willing partner in this entered his mind, and if she was, he needed to know so he could reprimand her accordingly.

"Half an hour Sydney, then I expect you to get your mind refocused on your psychogenetic experiments. Am I understood?"

"Yes Mr Parker."

* * *

The door opened to the pretender's room, Dr Mercy strolling in way too causally for the genius' liking.

"Good morning Jarod." She said cheerily, "I know I was meant to be here earlier for breakfast, but I was enjoying the morning at the park with my daughter way too much."

Jarod just stared at the joyful woman, his exhaustion etched onto his features. His wrists and other assortment of cuts and gashes, had stopped bleeding early this morning. The snapped ribs, throbbing and stinging from his wounds and the almost painful cold he was feeling, had kept him awake for the majority of the night when all his body wanted to do was shut down.

Jarod barley registered being let down from his bindings and being laid gently on the floor. Nor did he register Mercy kneeling next to him and carefully wiping the blood from his face.

The only thought that went through his tired mind was that, every minute this lady spent strolling through the park and playing with her daughter, was another minute he spent hanging from the ceiling in absolute pain.

"Hey Jarod, sweetheart, wake up... come on honey, look at me..." Mercy called gently, slapping his face lightly.

Jarod tried with all his might to lift the lead weights covering his eyes. He was finally successful.

"Mum??" Jarod asked, reaching his hand out to touch the woman's face. "Mum, what are you doing here? You can't be here..." And when the figure didn't move, he placed his hand on her chest and pushed with the last of his strength. "You have to go! You can't be here!"

A pair of hands on his biceps shook him softly.

"Jarod, can you hear me? Do you know who I am?"

Jarod tried to focus his eyes, finally he saw the image of Mercy come into view. Sighing softly, the genius turned his head away from the young lady.

"Jarod, do you think you can walk to the showers? We need to get this fuel out of your hair, you're already catching a cold."

Slowly nodding his head, he tried to stand. He would rather put up with a cold shower and the effort to walk there than being freezing for days to come. He was desperate to get the ice-cold burning feeling off of his skin, and to rid himself of the hideous smell that was making him sick to his stomach. With the help of the two sweepers that stood just outside of his door, Jarod limped down to the showers.

* * *

Jarod stood underneath the luke warm water with a bar of scented soap, savouring the mild smell and warmth. He was instructed to get as much of the oily substance out of his hair and to wash as much of the dried blood off as he could.

He didn't want his shower time to end, he was enjoying the soft, slightly warm spray too much. But he was getting tired fast, and had to step out of the cubical before his ten minutes were up. He couldn't stand, his head started to swim, his vision blurred slightly.

He started to sway, he reached out desperately to grab a hold of something, to make the world stop spinning. He couldn't focus on anything, people and showers were spinning out of control around him. It was terrifying and very disorientating. He couldn't make it stop spinning.

Mercy turned around just in time to see Jarod step out, dripping wet, soap still in hand. Just as she was about to ask what he was doing out of the shower, he collapsed. Mercy got to him just before he hit the ground. Trying to support the dead weight, not succeeding and falling to the ground with him.

"Get him to the infirmary A.S.A.P!!" Mercy yelled at the two sweepers.

* * *

"How is he doctor?" The softly accented Belgian voice asked.

"He will be fine Sydney. He had an attack. I will keep him in bed over night then he should be fine to go back to his room." Mercy explained to the obviously worried psychiatrist. "I am aware that Mr Parker granted you some personal time with Jarod. If you would be kind enough to take a seat in the waiting room, I will call you when he regains consciousness."

Sydney took one last look at the closed door to the room where the sleeping Jarod was being kept, before he nodded and walked out.

Mercy went about checking his vitals, his heart rate, blood pressure, dilation of his pupils. Everything was fine, his breathing was strong and even, his pulse was normal. All she could do now was sit back and wait for him to wake up.

She didn't have to wait long, ten minutes later and sleeping beauty woke. Looking around the room in confusion, his eyes finally rested on the doctor. Looking around the room for the second time, Jarod noticed he that he lay on a hospital bed, heart monitors connected to his bare and bruised chest. The wounded pretender's eyes finally came to rest on the blue-eyed beauty that was his handler.

"I'm glad to see you awake Jarod. Do you want some water?" Mercy asked softly, though it sounded strangely like a command.

None the less, Jarod was extremely thirsty. His mouth was dry; his throat was beyond sore from the lack of moisture and constant screaming. Wonder boy's hands were even starting to show signs of his dehydration. Eagerly nodding his head, Jarod watched as Mercy sat him up slightly and held a glass of water to his lips.

"Take it easy Jarod, you haven't had water for quiet a while, at least none that I have given you."

Jarod slowed his drinking down, not wanting his body to reject the much needed liquid. Mercy was right. She hadn't given him anything to drink since he had been caught. Jarod had been forced to drink the water that flowed from the shower roses. The bowl of soup he was given at night never stayed in his stomach long enough to gain any nourishment or hydration.

After he had finished the glass, Mercy slowly lay him back down. Checking his pulse once again, she sat down next to him on the sterile, white bed. She didn't fail to notice him shift away slightly.

"Now Jarod, the doctor will be here in a minute to bandage and treat your wounds, and stitch some like your wrists. He will also be finding out why you collapsed, you will need to tell him what symptoms you had just before you blacked out."

"Yes Dr Mercy." Jarod said softly. He would not anger this woman again, at least until he was fully healed.

"That's a good boy. Also Dr Sydney is outside waiting to speak with you."

Mercy paid close attention to his reaction. A range of emotions ran across his face like a slide show. Fear, concern, anger, disappointment, relief, happiness. The pretender quickly shifted his persona's, hiding his emotions behind a neutral mask.

"Do you want to see him Jarod?" Mercy asked genuinely.

"Of course I do... it's just that..." Jarod trailed off.

"Just what Jarod?" the woman pushed.

"I don't want him to see me like this."

"Like what?"

"Beaten, bruised, cut. I don't want him to worry." Jarod explained in a quite voice, his eyes lowered. He added in his head, "Humiliated, defeated."

Mercy wasn't a fool, she saw through his lie. He was terrified that the old shrink would reject him again, turn his back on him when he needed him so desperately. Yes, the pretender was worried that he would worry over his condition, but that was far from the real reason as to why he didn't want to see the older man.

"Why should you care? I mean didn't he turn his back on you? Literally and figuratively, and when you needed him the most?" Mercy asked, playing along with Jarod's lie designed to protect himself against the emotional pain he thought would come with seeing his mentor.

"He was angry at me for betraying Miss Parker like I did. He was upset at me." Jarod defended the man's actions.

"If you say so Jarod. I will let him in after you are fixed up." With that Mercy left and sent the doctor in.

* * *

It took nearly an hour and a half to fully treat his wounds. Jarod's chest was tightly wrapped, setting his ribs into place to heal. His wrists were cleaned, stitched and bandaged. The larger lacerations were also stitched, the smaller were cleaned and had gauze tapped over them. The doctor finished with rubbing a thick, smelly ointment all over his body despite Jarod's plea not to touch him.

Finally, the doctor left Jarod alone to slip into the Centre issue pants.

There, on the hospital bed, he sat. He wasn't going to try anything, he knew they were watching and the beating he received yesterday, including the constant electric shocks from the collar, had deterred him from an attempt at escape. For a week. Maybe two.

Jarod's head turned to the door as it hissed open. Sydney calmly walked in but froze when he saw the condition his protégé was in.

"Jarod! Are you alright?!" Sydney said as he quickly closed the gap between the two of them.

Sydney ran his hand through Jarod's hair and over his face gently, checking to see if he was ok.

"I'm fine Sydney. Just a little sore." The younger man answered quietly.

"What did they do to you?" Concern and sadness filled the older man's voice, which trembled slightly, as his hand ran down Jarod's face to touch the metal collar and burn marks around the pretender's neck.

Jarod pulled away from the gentle touch, ashamed. Lowering his head and diverting his eyes, Jarod hesitantly spoke.

"I-I'm sorry Sydney."

"For what Jarod?"

"For shaming you, disappointing you... for hurting Miss Parker."

Sydney looked away slightly. He had been thinking long and hard about the incident in the Tower. He had acted badly, letting his anger cloud his judgment.

"Jarod. I haven't been able to forgive you for what you did to Miss Parker yet." Sydney noticed Jarod shift on the bed and lower his eyes even more, a deep flush of shame colouring his cheeks. "But I should have never turned my back on you. You needed me and I left you to fight your demons alone."

"It's okay Sydney." Jarod said, allowing a small smile onto his face. This wasn't the 'I Love You' statement he would have loved to hear Sydney say. But it was definitely a step in the right direction.

Jarod was so grateful and relieved to see a familiar face. He hadn't exactly been thrilled to see Miss Parker the other two times, knowing the mood she would be in. But to see the face he had gown to love, despite it being the same face that, on occasions, dished out punishment, despite it being the face that helped him into the SIMs that killed thousands of innocent people. He could not express how thankful he was to see this face, hear this voice.

"Jarod, when did you pierce your nipple?" Sydney asked with slight surprise and amusement in his voice.

Sydney's softly accented voice broke the pretender's train of thought.

"I-um... Dr Mercy made me pierce it yesterday." He admitted, his face blushing at the memory as he looked down to the piercing that had not been covered by the bandages around his ribs.

"And how did you acquire the bruises? The cuts? How were your wrists damaged?" Sydney asked gently.

"I said the wrong thing to her. This was my punishment." Jarod answered softly, using the same vague tone as he always used when he was asked something he didn't care for answering.

"What could you have possibly said that would earn you a punishment so severe?"

"It's not important Sydney." Jarod tried to escape the questioning, it would only end badly.

"If you are trying to avoid answering, it's important enough." Sydney's stern voice told him it would be wise to answer.

After letting out a sigh, Jarod answered. "She was trying to convince me that I had it good locked up here in the Centre. She was using the Jews and twins during the war as an example." Looking up to Sydney, Jarod saw a blank face and decided to push on. "Dr Mercy said about the few years they spent in the camps," pausing once more to gain some courage, Jarod quickly said the rest. "I said 'only a few years' coldly." Jarod meekly looked up at Sydney, only to find horror and anger on the man's face.

"Sydney I'm sorry! I didn't mean it, it just came out of my mouth. She said it in a way that I found myself SIMing their lives, your life! I was so scared and hurt and angry from it. I went into a pretend so that I wouldn't feel their fear and pain. I was trying to pretend that it didn't affect me. I was being cold so I could try and shake the SIM off and it just slipped out. I'm sorry Sydney!" Jarod cried. The last thing he wanted was to give his mentor another reason to hate him.

After a few long and intense minutes of silence, Sydney sighed heavily and spoke.

"Under the circumstances, you will say a few things that you don't mean. But please be more careful," the older man scolded softly, "that comment has hurt me deeply Jarod, and by this evidence," Sydney gestured to his abused body, "It has hurt her too."

"I'm sorry Sydney." The pretender said quietly, genuinely, guiltily.

"I think it would be wise to apologise to her too."

"Yes Sydney."

All of a sudden, Jarod's stomach let out a loud growl.

"Are you hungry Jarod?"

"Yes." Come the simple answer.

"Wen did you last eat?" Sydney asked concerned. Granted, Jarod was ALWAYS hungry. He always did have a big appetite, but he had never heard someone's stomach rumble so loudly.

"I had soup two days ago, which come back to visit me."

"I will have a talk to Dr Mercy about your feeding schedule."

Jarod cringed at the way he had put it. He made it sound like he was an animal, but he knew Sydney didn't mean any harm by it.

"Sydney, how is Miss Parker doing?"

"She seems to be handling the situation. Though she is her usual self, and won't let me in and talk to me."

"Please tell her I'm sorry. I have tried, but she won't listen to me. Please Sydney." Jarod pleaded.

"I will try Jarod." Sydney agreed.

They both turned to the door when it hissed open again, letting Mercy into the small room.

"I am sorry to inform you Sydney, but it's time for Jarod's training to start again." Mercy cast a look at the wounded man who visibly shivered at those words.

"Dr Mercy, may I have a word to you about Jarod?" Sydney asked starting to walk into the corner of the room.

"You may." Mercy said but made no effort to follow Sydney, stating that if he had something to say, it would be said in front of Jarod.

Nodding, Sydney come back to join the two.

"I am worried about the way you feed Jarod. He has a great need for a lot of food and has a fast metabolism and requires plenty of nutritional food. One bowl of soup in two days will not do. I must insist that you feed him regularly, three times daily. Otherwise his weight will fall dramatically and quickly, leaving him sick and weak and unable to concentrate on your Simulations."

Glancing angrily at Jarod for dobbing on her, she turned back to Sydney, "I understand his requirements doctor. The only reason he has so little food lately is that his medicine meant that he would only throw it straight back up. It would have been wasteful. I will try and please you and allow him three meals daily, but can not promise anything."

"All I ask is that you try and look out for his health. He is extremely important to the Centre and the chairman and triumvirate would not be pleased to learn of your treatment of him if he ends up sick, or worse, dead." The tone of his voice almost made his words sound like a threat.

Jarod lowered his head. He hated people talking about him as if he wasn't there, but it was something to expect being a Centre project. What annoyed him more was the apparent ease at which Sydney talked about him as an object, a subject, not a human.

Jarod's head snapped up when he heard Sydney's soft voice call his name.

"Yes Sydney?"

"Jarod, I do believe you have something important to say to Dr Mercy."

Sighing, he turned slightly to face the beautiful woman.

"Dr Mercy, I am not sure why you got so mad at what I said earlier about the war victims. But I would like to apologise for hurting you that way. It was never my intention to hurt your feelings, and I'm sorry for doing it."

"Why? Are you sorry because you received this punishment?" the woman snapped angrily.

"No!" Jarod shook his head. "Like I said, I don't know why it hurt you so deeply, but my words did. I am not one that likes to hurt anyone, and the fact that I apparently did has upset me. I'm sorry Mercy." Jarod said honestly. It wasn't until Sydney had pointed out that it had obviously hurt her too that Jarod felt bad for saying them even more.

"Would you be this sorry if I hadn't had the boys beat you Jarod?" Mercy asked curious.

"Yes I would." Jarod answered.

Mercy studied his eyes, he was telling the truth.

"Thank you Jarod. I appreciate and accept your apology. Let this be a lesson to you not to anger me. I hope you will try harder to do as your told and not to upset me. Will you try harder Jarod?"

What the hell did she want him to say? Yes, that he would cooperate with her and do everything even though it goes against his morals and ethics? Or say no, that he would fight her with everything he had for as long as he could and be punished even more?

"Jarod has strong ethics and morals. He will not do your Simulations, or mine. He will not give in to the Centre." Sydney answered for him. "But I do hope he realises that cooperation is not only safer, but easier. And that he will try to do as he is told."

"Thanks Sydney! What are you trying to do? Get me another two on one round of one-sided boxing?" Jarod hissed softly.

"Jarod, I do hope you obey the doctor, I do not wish to see you harmed any more than what you have been already. I must get going, I will do as you asked about Miss Parker. Good bye Jarod." Sydney said sadly before he exited the medical room.

"Jarod, lets go." Mercy ordered once the old man was out of the room.

* * *

Miss Parker travelled the elevator down to SL 17 in search of the pretender Cassady and her mentor Sara. She had been informed by Broots that they were almost finished with a SIM and she would find them in lab 4.

Walking in silently, Miss Parker lent against the far wall watching the last of the Simulation.

"If you put more supporting beams here, here and here, strengthen the pylons and the suspending wires, the bridge would hold twice the current weight."

"Is there any other way of making the bridge safer?"

"Other than restricting the traffic flow, no."

"Thank you Cassady."

The young lady took the papers and turned to leave, only just then spotting the chairman's daughter.

"Miss Parker? Can I help you?"

"Sara I believe?"

"Yes." Sara answered, a frown creasing her brow, showing her confusion.

"I need to have a word to you about Cassady."

"Cassady? Why?" Sara asked, her confusion growing by the second. Turning around to look at her young protégé, she saw the girl shrink back in her chair.

"Cassady was not obeying her temporary handler, Mitchell. I don't blame her really, total prick. Apparently he had been touching her, she didn't understand why he did it and you didn't. So she stopped obeying him and ended up with my brother punishing her."

"Where?" Sara asked as her voice cracked. She had left her girl in the hands of some stranger that had touched her.

"Nothing too serious, but could have been worse if you didn't return today. He had been placing his hands on her breasts and backside."

Walking over to a silent and guilty looking girl, Sara knelt beside the girl.

"Cassady. You have done nothing wrong. Yes, you shouldn't have disobeyed your handler, but he was wrong with the way he touched you. I'm sorry I left you in his hands Cassady, you did well to be as brave as you have been. And I'm proud of you for it."

"Thank you Sara." Cassady said, her shoulders straightening.

"But I don't ever want to hear you disobeying your temporary handlers again ok?"

"Yes Sara." The girl said slumping back into the chair.

"Thank you Miss Parker for bringing this to my attention."

"I have taken care of Mitchell for you. He won't be touching anyone again." Miss Parker said. A triumphant smile on her lips. As matter of fact, he wouldn't be touching anything for a long time. Not with ten broken fingers.

"Cassady!" Miss Parker called.

Seeing the young girl straighten and jump out of her chair, coming to stand in front of her. Standing to attention.

"You have been trained very well."

"Thank you ma'am."

"If Mitchell comes any where near you, I want you to get someone to contact me immediately, even if you're in the middle of a SIM. Or if anyone touches you like he did, or in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable. It is unacceptable for anyone to touch you the way Mitchell has. And if anyone does, you are to get into contact with me immediately, am I understood?" Miss Parker ordered in a soft, almost protective voice. She would not allow a child to be abused in this way.

"Yes ma'am." Cassady answered, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Good. That will be all, you may take her back to her space when you are ready."

"Yes Miss Parker."

Miss Parker turned on her heels and headed back to the lift.

She couldn't help but to smile and be amazed at how well trained she was.

* * *

_"Jarod sit down." Miss Parker had ordered. She had been told to debrief Jarod on one of his escape attempts when she had been head of security._

_"Miss Parker, you don't understand!"_

_"I said sit down pretender!" she growled. He wasn't doing as he was told._

_Jarod, after sulking for a minute or two, sat down in the metal chair. He looked at the shackles for his hands and feet and blanched, looking back to Miss Parker._

_"We won't be using them Jarod if you cooperate."_

_"And if I don't?" he asked, trying to hide his trepidation._

_"Then we will resort to using them and more persuasive techniques."_

_Jarod shrank back slightly, his eye's wide._

_"How did you escape Jarod?"_

_"I didn't. I just wanted to see the sunrise."_

_"How did you get out Jarod?!" Miss Parker asked, showing her impatience._

_"Miss Parker, I can't tell you that." He said softly._

_Nodding to the sweeper, they cuffed his feet and wrists, trapping him to the chair._

_"Miss Parker!" Jarod almost yelled with fear._

_"How did you get out?"_

_Jarod stayed silent._

_Nodding once more, Miss Parker turned away as they backhanded him across the face, drawing blood._

_"Once more Jarod, how did you get out?"_

* * *

It had gone on for over ten hours before he had said finally what vents he had taken to get to the roof. She had, of course, sealed them shut so he couldn't use them again.

If Sydney had trained him better, like Cassady, he would have told them straight away how he got to the roof. Hell, if he was better trained, he wouldn't have tried to get out in the first place.

He had refused to talk to her for two weeks after that, not like she really cared. He had been deeply hurt that she had given the orders to hit him, to hurt him so badly. Miss Parker was at the stage of losing herself completely to the ice queen and her father's demands. She wouldn't have had to be so cold to him if only he was better trained.

Holding a hand to her stomach, Miss Parker ran to the closest bathroom and locked herself in a cubical as she threw up. Flushing the toilet, she climbed back to her feet and went to the basins to wash her mouth out.

Staring in the mirror, Parker sucked a breath in at the sight of her. She looked like a ghost, granted she was always pale but this was beyond a joke.

_Why the hell was I sick? I haven't eaten anything bad today, hell I haven't eaten at all today._

Checking her make-up, Miss Parker straightened her suit and left the bathroom, still feeling nauseous.

* * *

Jarod's stomach had turned to lead when Mercy had ordered him out with her. He had been severely beaten, and had collapsed after a dizzy spell. He was hoping he would be left alone for at least a few hours.

They didn't go far though. The doctor had led him from the small hospital room through some corridors and into another room.

Looking around, Jarod noticed this was a larger room, and had far greater security. Holding onto the door frame to catch his breath and steady the spinning in his head, Jarod heard Mercy telling him to get on the bed.

Gratefully, Jarod shuffled over to it and climbed on sighing. His ribs were throbbing, his wrists were oozing with blood through the small stiches. He could feel the blood start to drip out of the wounds on his back, the bandage for his ribs, soaking it up.

Groaning, Jarod tried to find a comfortable position that wouldn't aggravate his wounds. Finally, he stilled and looked up at Mercy.

"You will be left alone tonight to heal. I will be visiting later with some food. You haven't had breakfast, lunch, so dinner I presume, will be a welcome treat. Tomorrow, I will collect you, take you to the showers and we will try for a simulation."

Holding her hand up to silence the protest she knew was coming, Mercy went on.

"I do not want you telling me no. This WILL be done, whether you like it or not." She growled deeply in a no non-sense tone, leaving no room for argument.

Before turning on her heels to leave she added one last thing.

"I catch you trying to take the collar off or deactivating it, or any escape attempt what so ever, I will chain you in your room and leave you there to rot after I have you beaten senseless." Stalking out of the room, Mercy locked the door after her.

Jarod sighed heavily in weariness. He wasn't sure what to make of the threat. She had beaten him senseless for saying one wrong thing, so the idea of him being caught escaping only gave his mind more reasons to believe the threat was genuine.

Curling under the two light blankets some more, Jarod rested his head on the single, lumpy pillow, letting out a breath in pleasure. It had been well and truly over a week since he had slept on a bed. Granted this wasn't the most comfortable bed, but it was a lot better than the hard, cold concrete floor.

The gratitude he felt towards his new handler for leaving only one single dimmed light on, and having the room left at a normal temperature, overwhelmed him. Snuggling into the slight warmth and protection of the blankets, Jarod closed his eyes to take full advantage of this situation. It wasn't long before he was in a deep, nightmare free sleep.


	17. I don't feel so good

Disclaimer: Don't own them, please don't sue me.

Authors note: I'm sooooo sorry for how long it has been since last updated. I have been working on other fics with another author and I just couldn't get back into this. I am going to try to post more chapters really soon and get this finished for everyone. THANKYOU to all of those that kept asking me to update, and again I apologise for the such long, long, long wait. I know its not much but I hope everyone enjoys, more will come soon. Also thank you to jaccione for editing this.

Chapter seventeen…

Miss Parker stayed at her desk for the rest of the day and the evening, still feeling ill. She couldn't work out what was wrong with her. She never got sick, sickness was for the weak and the whiners and she simply had no time for it. Pushing it aside, she decided to go down and have a little chit chat with the freak.

Parker had found out from Sydney just before he left, that Jarod had had an accident and was now in the infirmary. Nearing the door to his room, Miss Parker saw Mercy with a tray of food about to walk in. Parker had to scoff to herself at Sydney's choice words. Euphemism took on a whole new level in this place. Accident her arse, this was as much as an accident as what Parker's barbs about Broots lack of hair was.

"Mercy." Parker called in a brisk bark with an easily read undertone of malice, as she walked up to her.

"Ah, Miss Parker. What can I do for you this evening?" She asked in a sickeningly polite tone.

"Is that for wonder boy?" The ice queen asked pointing to the tray of food.

"Yes." Mercy nodded wondering who else the cruel woman would think it was for. She was in front of the pretender's hospital room with a tray of food, it seemed painfully obvious to her.

"Good, I'll take it." And before the blonde bimbo could do or say anything, Parker took the tray and walked into the room, shutting the door after her.

She froze to the spot as she saw his condition, Parker almost felt sorry for him, almost felt guilty. His face was still badly bruised and swollen. She shook her head as she heard his loud snores and saw how deep into the bed he was curled. She wondered how often he got sleep that was deep enough to have him snore and hoped it wasn't often, the fool sounded like a truck. He had not stirred once, and she had shut the door loudly.

Placing the food on a chair on the opposite side of the room, Parker took a few steps over to the bed and looked down at him.

How could this apparently harmless man rape her? As he slept, she could see in him the boy he once was and as the flashbacks played themselves in her mind again, she wondered for the second time if he did actually rape her. But she still couldn't account for the bruises she had had. Did she panic halfway through and tell him no, only for him to hit her and continue? Or did she acquire them some other way? She really did need to talk to Sydney about them. Always with the unanswered questions, just once she wished something was definitive.

As Parker's eyes travelled over the marks on the man, she felt so strongly that her mind was playing tricks on her, that Jarod couldn't possible hurt her in such a way, betray her so badly. But then she had bruises on her body, she remembered waking up next to Jarod. Parker couldn't help but think that if Jarod did rape her, he was getting exactly what he deserved. And what he deserved was a lady by the name of Mercy.

Pulling up the other spare chair next to the bed, she sat and just watched him. She could see his chest rising and falling under the blankets. It was strangely comforting and calming. She pulled the covers back a little to look at his chest. She was not at all surprised to see the bruises and other assortment of marks on him, nor to see his ribs taped, after all, he did piss the girl off seriously.

Feeling his skin, she noticed he was still a little cold but shrugged to herself and covered him up once more. He had been having a hard time since he got here. The lights and cold in his completely bare room except that pillow her father had authorised, had been giving him a lot of trouble. Parker had overheard Mercy talking to another doctor about the medication she was pumping him full of and she had briefly wondered what it had been for. For a brief second, Parker thought it was a strange coincidence that after all this 'medication' had been pumped into Jarod, plaster was now mysteriously off his arm. It was too soon for the plaster to be removed and Parker didn't doubt there was a connection between the two. Not to mention her two visits. They hadn't gone well for the genius, and now, it looked as if he had indeed gotten a good belting after he had said the wrong thing to the ditsy blonde.

Looking the genius' bruised face, Parker wondered if she should tell Mercy about the simulation Broots had found. The only thing stopping her spilling the beans about Jarod, was the what if Mercy didn't know. What if she didn't know the death of her brother wasn't an accident, what if she didn't know it was a paid simulation, what if she didn't know it was Jarod's fault. If Mercy didn't, Jarod wouldn't survive long enough to see the next sunrise. Parker thought long and hard about this last night reading the file, and not even Jarod deserved the hell Mercy could easily inflict on him. He was already being tortured and abused badly and that was just for a few small things. If the bimbo found out about the simulation Jarod was surely to be killed at her hands.

Running her hand over his cheek, showing signs of his five o'clock shadow, she got a strange guilty feeling. She could hear her mother's whispers. She was saying 'wrong, not him.' She wondered if she was telling her that he didn't rape her. Listening more carefully she heard, 'Cree craw. Baby Parker.' Frowning, she scolded her mother gently, that made no sense what so ever.

Pulling her hand back, Parker shook Jarod almost gently, "Franken-boy, it's time to get up."

"Mmmm…" Jarod moaned unhappily, but opened his eyes and was shocked to see Parker sitting next to him. "Miss Parker?" He asked warily, Jarod's eyes searched the room, wondering where his handler was. She said he would be brought dinner, that SHE would bring food.

"You really ARE a genius. How did you know it was me?" She asked in mock surprise.

Sighing heavily, "What do you want Parker? Here to gloat?" He was far too tired and sore to play games with her right now.

"A bit late for gloating don't you think?"

"Then what are you here for? Going to make me pierce my other nipple?" Jarod said painfully. That had cut him deeply, more deeply than he wanted to admit to himself. She had not simply stood by and watched, she had suggested he do it himself. It hadn't been enough for her to just watch him suffer, she had to add the extra humiliation of making it do it himself. But what did Jarod expect from her? She was the infamous Miss Parker, the Ice Queen after all?

"I'm here to talk." She said simply.

"Talk? You don't want anything?" Jarod asked sceptically, yet his voice held an undertone of relief. If she was talking, she wasn't hurting him.

Parker's heart constricted at those words, the boy had said the exact same thing. Her mind flashed back to when she had snuck into the room to speak to him, and how she was struck with a stab in her heart, seeing how Gemini was EXCATLY like Jarod at that age. "What's there to misunderstand? I want to talk." She spat. Her defence mechanisms slamming back into place.

Jarod lowered his eyes, he hadn't meant to upset her. "What did you want to talk about?"

Parker left his question unanswered as she got the tray of food and brought it over to him. "Sit up." She instructed a little too harshly, and gave the food to him once he was upright.

"Food!" Jarod exclaimed excitedly until he saw it. "Green slop." His face fell. His mouth held the taste of bitter disappointment as he realised that any chance of real food was really shot out the window.

"You're in the Centre Jarod, what did you expect to get?"

"She brought me spaghetti last time, I was hoping, that since I wasn't allowed to eat it, I would get something similar this time." His voice was heavy with disappointment.

Taking the food from him, she walked out of the room, blatantly ignoring his cry of protest.

Walking outside, she dumped the food in the closest bin and took out her phone. Miss Parker knew she was going to regret this later, but Jarod had broken her heart back there. Food was the only pleasure he got out of his life. "Daddy?"

"Angel, I'm busy. What is it you want?" Mr Parker said in a brisk business tone with a hint of niceness to it.

Ignoring the distant sound of his voice, she pressed on. "I want to give Jarod some real food." Not giving him a chance to say no, she explained. "It's not that he has asked for it, he is hungry enough to eat the shit you call food here. But he has only had soup since he was brought back, which he just threw up anyway. If you talk to Sydney, and most doctors for that fact, they would say he needs real, solid food." Hoping that if she made it sound at least somewhat medical, he would say yes. He really did need to have something more substantial than goop. She tried not to examine her own motives for doing this too closely, believing her own spiel about the medical reasons, it was easier that way.

"Get him something. I will talk to the Dr and see if she agrees with you Angel. But next time, I do not want you to undermine her." His voice was strict and cold. It seemed to him that the 'rape' wasn't at all a rape, she was just covering her arse and this move to give the pretender 'real' food was only making him realise it more.

"Yes daddy." She agreed as she hung the phone up. All Parker had tried to do was protect her father's investment by allowing the lab-rat some real food so he could put on some weight, and in return for trying to help, both her father and Jarod, she had received a lecture. God damn useless lab-rat, no matter what went on, he still caused her hassle.

Dialling her phone once more, she ordered some food to be brought up to Jarod's room. Miss Parker made sure to order him nice, real, hot solid food. Walking back into his room, she noticed Jarod was fast asleep again.

"Wake up lab-rat!" She growled next to his ear. Parker smiled coldly when he jumped from fright. "We need to talk." Parker felt oddly curious as to why her moods were swinging so much. She was almost nice to him a moment ago by trying to get him so real food, and now she was back to her usual self.

"You left." Jarod explained simply.

"Sydney came to talk to me about you." She said softer, waiting for his reaction, but all she got was a slight nod so she went on. "I know you're sorry Jarod. I just, at the moment can't accept it. The thought of you betraying me so badly…" She started before sighing and getting up.

"Parker, please. I am truly sorry. You have to understand that."

"I do! And that's what is making this so hard. I know you're sorry. Jarod what do…" But she stopped once again as there was a knock at the door.

Taking the food from the man, she walked back over and waited for Jarod to sit up. He could tell it was real food this time, the smell was making his mouth water and his stomach growl.

Handing him the tray, she took the lid off and watched his face.

"Mashed potatoes, corn, carrots. Chicken schnitzel," Jarod beamed as his eyes drifted across the tray. "I-Ice cream…?" He asked incredulous as he looked at Miss Parker wide eyed.

Parker watched his excitement over food and hid a smile, only the pretender could get so damn happy with food.

Jarod sat up a little more, wincing as he did before he grabbed the ice-cream first and dug in. the moment that the ice-cream hit his tongue, he almost purred in pleasure. "So good," He mumbled. He tried to savour it, take his time, but he was so damn hungry that he just scoffed it down. Once the ice-cream was gone, he started on his hot meal, closing his eyes at the warmth it sent through him.

Parker watched him carefully as the rat just stuffed his face. The smell of the food, the look of the food, the way Jarod was throwing it down his throat was making her feel ill. Before she knew it, Parker was hunched over heaving, trying to throw up her empty stomach.

When Jarod heard the sounds he looked at her in concern before dumping the half finished hot food and jumped out of bed, crying out in pain but moved to her. "Parker, Parker, what is wrong, are you ok?" he asked, deeply concerned. He knew she hated him, knew he had no right to be concerned for her after what he had done.

Pushing the man away from her, ignoring when he tumbled back and she heard a muffled cry, Parker coughed heavily as she stopped throwing up. Heaving heavily, Parker sat down as she struggled to get her breathing even again. Ignoring the small pool of vomit that was mainly just stomach fluids since she had already heaved up her lunch earlier.

Jarod watched from where he was against the leg of the hospital cot and fought with himself to go help her, "Miss Parker?" He asked in a timid voice. It was not like her to be so sick, not to the point of throwing up. He knew about her ulcer, was always worried about it, but it never made her throw up.

"Leave me alone lab rat," She hissed weakly as she climbed back to her feet weakly.

Stumbling out of the room, she shoved past Mercy as she wiped her mouth clean. Something was seriously wrong with her, she had thrown up twice, was feeling very clammy and light headed. By passing Sydney, ignoring his look of concern, she headed to her car to go home. Parker needed time alone, needed something to ease her queasy stomach.

Mercy slowly entered the room, wondering what had happened to cause Miss Parker to leave so quickly. Seeing Jarod down on the ground she frowned angrily.

"Get your arse back in bed Jarod, I told you not to move from it." She scolded him in an annoyed voice.

"Yes Dr Mercy," Jarod whispered miserably and pulled himself to his feet, his jaw clenched tight in pain.

Jarod was incredibly worried about Miss Parker, it scared him terribly to see her so sick, so vulnerable. But right at this moment, he was more worried about the angry blonde who had seen him doing something he was told not to. It wouldn't matter to her that it was a minor and insignificant thing, or that he had only done it out of concern for Miss Parker.

Watching him haul himself up off the ground and back into bed, panting heavily at the strained effort it took. When he was back on the hospital cot, Mercy went about tucking him in… with leather straps over his torso, legs and wrists.

Bucking at the restraints in fear, "No, please, I'm sorry, Miss Parker was sick, I wanted to help." His fear went up a notch as she tightened the straps over him to stop his moving.

Looking down on him, Mercy smoothed the sweaty hair back, it really must have taken a lot out of him to get back into bed with all his injuries. "I am sorry your little Miss Parker was sick Jarod, but did I not tell you to stay in bed and rest?" She asked him in a kind, caring voice.

His eyes were wide as he stared at her, "I needed to help her, she was sick, I couldn't just lay here and do nothing." Jarod said softly but defiantly.

That small defiance in his tone caused Mercy to frown at the man, "You have not learnt yet Jarod? You do as I say, when I say or you get chastised."

Jarod almost laughed, chastised was not the word he would have used. He looked his body up and down, as if trying to prove a point. This was cruel hearted torture and torment. Chastised would be what she would do to her little innocent daughter when she said something bad.

But instead of speaking back and gaining more punishment, Jarod simply nodded, "Yes Dr Mercy." He didn't have the strength right now to fight her, he wanted to sleep and to make sure Parker was alright.

"That's a good boy, you sleep now." She told him, "And if I find your not sleeping, I will sedate you." Her tone was light and motherly, concerned, but the look in her eye sent shivers down Jarod.

"Good night Jarod." She leant down and planted a tender kiss to his face, causing Jarod to shrunk back in fear, pain, surprise, Mercy could not tell.

Making sure the blankets were over him, she turned on her heel and left, shutting off the lights. The only light now in the room was the small one above his hospital cot illuminating his trapped form.


	18. As time goes by

Disclaimer: Don't own them, but if I did, they would still be on tv lol.

Authors note: Ok here we go. Firstly I do want to thank everyone for reviewing and for those who kept asking me for more. It has been a looooooooong time since I last posted. 15th of the 12th 05 was a very long time ago lol but I have had a serious bout of writers block with this story. I did a format the other week and lost quite a bit of stuff, so I had to go get this sotry off of here and well I started to re-read it. I know have a few chapters more I will be posting once they are edited. So hopefully, with any luck, cross fingers and toes, I can get this story finished. A big massive thankyou to Jaccione for editing this, she does such a wodnerful job always and also a very big thanks to Copton for the PM's about reading other stories to try and get motivated. I very much appricate you help there. hugs I will shut up now and let you read the chap lol.

Chapter eighteen...

It had been a month since Jarod's punishment over his stupid remark about the war victims. His wounds had healed, his ribs though still sore, were not broken any more. Parker had only come to see him once in all that time and that had hurt Jarod deeply, it had hurt him more than the actual injuries he had received had hurt.

He knew he had hurt her, violated her in the most unforgivable way, but it still cut him deeply that she wouldn't come near him. Jarod was still trying desperately to remember anything more of that night, to find something to prove he really hadn't hurt her. As of yet though, he had nothing, just the couple of little memories that only told him he did hurt Parker.

Mercy had forced him into simulations, in a way Jarod just couldn't say no to her. And the few times he had, his life had been made a living hell. At the moment though, the simulations at least weren't too controversial, they were relatively safe and Jarod was very thankful for that. He had tried to hold off as long as he could, but it was so incredibly difficult that he had given in. His knowledge of what he had done to Parker had severely reduced his will to fight. It was hard to say no to simulations because of his morals and ethics when he was no better than those wanting these simulations. All this time, Jarod had been fooling himself that he was different from all of those who brought his simulations, that committed crimes, he used to believe he had morals. Now, he knew he was no different from them, he was just as bad as they were.

Jarod had been refused the right to see his mentor, not since the visit in the infirmary room. He had tried to hold off the simulations, saying he would only do them if he worked with Sydney, but that had failed miserably. Since the time he spent in the infirmary, he had not seen a familiar face. All he got day in day out was Mercy, and two of her three sweepers. It was either Shane, Ryan, or Mathews.

She never treated them like standard sweepers, she always acted towards them more like a friend than a high ranking boss. She would talk to them, ask about their girlfriends or wives, their nights off, their weekends out drinking. Mercy really took the time and effort to bond with her staff and it made Jarod incredibly jealous of them.

Unless it was for his simulation or training, no one ever talked to him. He had gone nearly a week without one single word being spoken to him. It was the worst kind of isolation. He would rather be locked up in a dark room with no one coming near him. At least that way he could close his eyes and pretend, run through all the time he spent out, all the people he had met and helped. But when they were right there in front of him, talking and laughing and having a good ol' time, and no one even looked at him, it was incredibly depressing. He felt more alone than he had ever felt in his life, alone, depressed and miserable. What he wouldn't do to just have a normal, fear free, threat free conversation with anyone. He just wanted to feel the easy going feeling of a friendly conversation, feel as if he was important enough for someone to just chat with him.

For the most part he acted like a good little puppy dog for Mercy, doing pretty much whatever she asked of him. And it was just that, her asking, not ordering, which made it even worse for Jarod. It made it seem like he had a choice, when he really didn't. He still had the damn metal collar welded around his neck, the heaviness and coldness of it no longer bothering him as much though, having gotten accustomed to it over time. He may have become accustomed to it, but it was something Jarod could never accept, its constant presence wore him down a little every day, a constant reminder that things were different this time. Sydney was not there with him this time, wasn't there to give him strength and the collar signified the loss of hope of an escape, hope of freedom from this place and her.

Mercy still delighted in attaching a collar to him and dragging him around the Centre like he was her prized pet. She often asked him to remove his shirt to show the nipple piercing, which now had a diamond M hanging from it, and his scars her sweepers had put on him from the major beating he had received a month ago. It always left him feeling humiliated and emasculated. Every time he looked at the M hanging from the nipple piercing he had to do himself, every time he felt it tickling his chest, he felt dominated, possessed, owned. He felt like property, her property. He felt so small and weak and pathetic that he couldn't even stop this young mother from doing it to him. He told himself it was only a trifling, that it only showed how weak she was for the need to display her power over him so flagrantly, it didn't it make him feel any less helpless though.

On a few occasions when Mercy couldn't get her daughter babysat, she would bring her in and make Jarod look after her with the sweepers watching him. He would have to sit there and keep her amused, which really wasn't that bad until Dhakota would get onto the subject of why he had the dog collar on, why he was locked up. Every time he said something that didn't fit into her mother's story that he was a bad man who thinks things up and was too smart for the policeman to hold, he would get a strong shock through the collar which only made her ask more questions. It was such an agony for him when he was forced to lie to the innocent child, to go along with her mother's lies about who and what he was. The thought that this gorgeous, sweet child was being raised by a sadistic woman like Mercy made his blood boil, made him want to just grab her and run, run far, far away. He felt like he needed to save her, save her from seeing who her mother really was, save her from turning into her mother. He couldn't do anything though, not a single thing and that made Jarod feel gutted and so completely helpless.

She really was a wonderful little five year old though, she looked just like her mother and had an inquisitive mind, always asking questions, always wanting to know everything. In the end though, it was just another way for Mercy to manipulate him into doing everything she wanted him to do. It just proved to Jarod though how low she would sink to control him. How could she use her beautiful daughter like this? Jarod sat in his miserable cell at night after he had seen Dhakota and wondered if she felt guilty for exposing her daughter to this place, to these evils.

Jarod had to wonder if she was really was that cocky, that confident she had Jarod subdued enough not to use her daughter as a hostage. Did she really believe that Jarod was no threat to Dhakota, that he wouldn't use her to get the hell out of this place? Maybe Mercy wasn't as smart as she thought she was, or maybe she really did have Jarod wrapped around her little finger enough that her daughter was never at risk.

They hadn't moved him from the room he was first put in when he was brought in by Parker. The room was still blindingly white, the lights above and around him would be turned on when it was time for him to sleep, making it hard for him to get the rest he so desperately needed. Though it was just the flood lights now they turned on, not the blinding, piercingly bright laser lights, they were never on bright enough to stop him sleeping, but bright enough to stop it from being a deep, decent sleep. In addition to the pathetically old pillow they gave him at the start, he now had a camper cot. It didn't sit far from the ground and wasn't soft and comfortable like a real bed, but it was a darn sight better then sleeping on the cold concrete floor.

Jarod looked up as the door opened and pulled his aching body off of the low cot to stand up and lower his head, which was quite hard with the thick metal collar around his neck. He didn't hear the tale tell signs of Parker's heels clicking against the floor, nor the softer clicking of the males shiny work shoes so it had to be Mercy and he shuddered. She was always the very last person he wanted to come near him. Every time he heard the soft padding on the hard floors coming towards him, he knew it was Mercy. She was the only person, except from maybe Broots, who didn't wear business shoes or high heels. The door slid open with a hiss, a sound Jarod never wanted to hear, it always filled his stomach with dread.

"Good morning Jarod." Mercy smiled warmly at the miserable man. "I hope you slept well because we have a very busy day in front of us."

Jarod really didn't want to know what the busy day was going to consist of. Either training or simulations Jarod thought and neither one of them he wanted anything to do with. He kept the heavy sigh inside and just nodded a little. "Yes Dr Mercy." He responded like a good little project.

Jarod was still desperately trying to find a way out of this mess. He needed to work out a way to get the damn collar off or disable it. He stood not a snowball's chance in Hell with it on. The minute she realised he was out of his room, she would activate it and it would all be over red rover. The second those shocks hit him, he was paralysed and screaming in pain. The shocks were always so sudden and unexpected that Jarod simply had no way to prepare and block it out. It wasn't like he knew Lyle was coming at him with jumper cables and he could retreat into himself and block the pain out. Within seconds, the shocks were activated without Jarod even aware they were about to be sent, so he simply had no defences for it.

"Come along Jarod, you can have some breakfast in the SIM Lab. After work we have a bit more training to get through, then you have a very special visitor." She smiled warmly at him, stroking her fingers though his hair. "Someone that has been very eager to get access too for a while now."

Jarod's head snapped up at that, wondering who it could be, praying it was Sydney. The smile made him suspect that it wasn't Sydney, that it would be someone he didn't want to see like Lyle or the very bored sweepers. But then, she always smiled warmly at him, she always was kind and caring, warm and soft when he was good. The only time she wasn't was when Jarod had pissed her off some how, when she was in a foul mood. He wasn't so sure now if it was someone he didn't want to see, he wasn't so sure she was just smiling to put him off balance like normal. He knew Sydney tried everyday to get given access to him and Jarod was hoping desperately he had finally been told he could see Jarod. It was one of the sweepers and Mercy's favourite things to do to him, taunt him how his 'mummy' was being denied access to him, was being refused over and over again access to him. Just one friendly, caring face was all Jarod wanted, someone he knew actually cared for him. Not someone who pretended to be nice to him to get him working.

"Let's get going Jarod, we have a long day and not enough hours to dawdle about." Mercy ordered him, taking his arm and gently leading him forward to the lab.

Sydney was watching the twins as he tested their perception of a certain reality, seeing how each twin perceived things, how differently they saw the same thing. He watched, he wrote notes down, but his mind wasn't really there at all. All he could think about was Jarod and Miss Parker.

He had tried and tried to get in to see Jarod, tried everything he possible could and each time he was shot down. He had even tried to sneak down to Jarod without authorisation, needless to say, that ended up an a huge disaster for Sydney.

He was starting to lose hope that he would be able to get down to see Jarod any time soon, which only made him worry about the man even more. He didn't exactly leave on a good note with Jarod, still hurt and feeling betrayed he could harm Parker in such a profound way. It didn't help either that the last time he saw Jarod he was badly injured because of Mercy's goons.

Shaking himself, Sydney tried to concentrate on his work, but simply couldn't. Getting to his feet with a heavy sigh, Sydney decided to just cancel the rest of the experiment, he couldn't concentrate on it anyway. Heading out of the Lab, he went in search of Parker. She was worrying him just as much as Jarod was.

Parker wasn't herself lately, she was more agitated, looked paler a lot of the times and seemed to be feeling ill quite often. Sydney was worried her ulcer was getting too much for her, that she was worrying and upset over Jarod but wouldn't say anything about it. It must be hurting her a great deal to have to deal with a rape, a rape committed by a childhood friend none the less. She had shut herself down so completely he despaired ever reaching her.

Sydney still couldn't really accept that Jarod had done that to her, it just wasn't in him to hurt anyone in that way. Not even Miss Parker who had hunted him for so long, made his freedom feel as much like a cage as the Centre was to him.

Deciding he needed to talk to Parker, to check up on her, as much as she hated it, Sydney went in search of her.

It was no surprise to find her locked in her office, hiding away from the outside world. She seemed to be doing that more and more lately, hiding herself, and it wasn't at all like her.

"Good morning Miss Parker." Sydney said in his softly accented voice.

"What's good about it?" She snapped, holding her queasy stomach. Parker had a fine sheen of sweat over her brow, feeling very unwell. Sydney kept babbling on about her ulcer, saying the stress of Jarod's betrayal was too much for her, she needed to talk. It didn't feel like her ulcer though. Parker was glad though that he thought it was her ulcer, it kept him thinking too much into other possibilities for her sickness. Hell, Parker didn't even want to think to much more into other possibilities.

Not only was she feeling ill quite often, but she kept having strange dreams of the night she was with Jarod. Dreams that weren't making any sense to her, that was only making Parker doubt herself even more.

"_Dance with me?" The dark voice slurred a little._

_She got up to dance with him, stumbling all about the dance floor before the song changed the man began to cry in anguish over the death of a loved one. It didn't last long however, the two drunks were soon stumbling out the bar with a drink each in their hand._

_He told her the dumbest joke she had ever heard in her entire life, it was so stupid it was hilariously funny to her while she was drunk._

"_What does the cow say to the farmer?" He asked, his words slurring dramatically._

_She looked up at him as they stumbled, a frown creasing her brow as she tried to think of the answer, knowing it had to be something very simple, but funny for the catch line. After a while, she just shrugged and took another sip of her drink._

"_Moooooooooo." He said loudly, moo-ing like a cow, his head dipping down then going up as he tried to look like one as well._

_She frowned at him for a long time, trying to understand before she cracked up laughing. She laughed so incredibly hard she fell to the ground on her hands and knees, losing one of her shoes._

_His laugh was so deep and carefree, so beautiful, she found herself just smiling up at him as he laughed and helped her to her feet. When she was once again on her feet, they began walking again. Well more like stumbling wildly about the road._

_He kept telling her stupid jokes, though funny ones at that time, they kept laughing and walking. Soon though, their good mood vanished a little as a group of boys headed towards them._

"_Hey sweet cheeks," One called to her, eyeing her up and down. "Why don't you leave this drunken loser and come home with some real men?" He asked, the group of boys agreeing._

_Snorting at them, she ended up laughing in their faces, "You? Real men? You're kidding me?"_

_That made their smiles disappear and one of them went up and grabbed her roughly around her arms, shaking her a little. "How dare you!" He snarled at her furiously._

"_Back off." He warned the boys in a dark voice, shoving him away from her, releasing her from the tight grip._

_As she the boy was forced to let her go, she stumbled backwards and fell down on the curb, crying out as she fell heavily into it on her ribs._

_She heard him call out to make sure she was ok and then a few yelps and cries and shouts. Climbing to her feet, she saw her knight in shinning armour fighting the bunch of boys. A hit here, a kick there, his drunken movements not really doing much against the sober group of boys. Still, she could not help admire the way his body rippled as he moved, the way his shirt stretched against his chest and back as he defended her against the group of hoons._

_So, as proud and dignified as she could, she joined in on the little fight. She managed a few kicks and hits, got kicked and hit back as she stumbled about and fell into them. The boys weren't aiming for her, but she still managed to get the hits and kicks they were throwing blindly at her knight in shining armour. She didn't mind being hit though, she liked to think she was helping to beat off the boys._

_A while later, it seemed she and her knight managed to fend them off, though she had a feeling they just couldn't be bothered with them._

_After trying to salvage the last of their drinks, they headed on, occasionally walking blindly into a lamp pole or tripping over park benches._

_It wasn't much longer before they got back to his place, though she was aching all over from her run in with the inanimate objects and the boys, she didn't complain though as she advanced on him._


	19. Memories of the past

Disclaimer: I do not own them.

Authors note: Sorry for the wait, it is very hard to get back into this, but I am trying to. With any luck you will see another chapter posted very soon. Hope you all enjoy! Thanks for the reviews and the contuine support to finish this.

Chapter nineteen...

Jarod sat silently as he ate the green slop they called food. The texture of it always made him want to gag, the rough, slushy and stringy feel of it brought back all wrong kind of memories. It was worse than even the cheapest baby food, for he had tried them all out of curiosity. What Jarod wouldn't do for something sweet right now, something solid, something with a bit of kick to it. He was at the point he would chew his arm off if it meant he could eat something half decent, something solid, with some sort of sugar, some sort of taste to it.

Forcing the 'food' down his throat, as he had done for virtually every other meal, Jarod pushed the empty bowl away from him. Ignoring Mercy's praise; her cooed 'You're such a good boy', he just took the files for his work and began to read them.

As he delved deeper into information that they had so willingly provided him, the more he wanted to throw up his recently eaten breakfast. This was the worse simulation they had given him since his return so far. How could they ask him to build a small, biological death bomb, so he could commit mass murder when they dropped it over a city? Knowing his morals and ethics, how could they even think of asking him to do this? Did they not know him at all? Did they really not pay attention to all those years he was out ranting on about the evils they had committed? Did they simply not know who Jarod really was, what he really stood for? Or maybe they did understand what he was like, and this was simply a test, a test to see how far they could push before he snapped. Maybe they wanted him to say no so they could punish him. Maybe though, they really just did not care what he stood for. With the Centre, one could never know why they did what they did.

Jarod looked up in horror at Mercy, shaking his head no, pushing the papers aside. He refused to do it, he refused point blank to ever do any biological warfare simulations. The last one he did he was forced into after them offering him freedom, then threatening his friend, only to have them murder Kenny right in front of him as a lesson. It wasn't even like a normal bomb that would explode and kill innocents and that was it. The bomb they wanted would not only kill on impact, but release a deadly pathogen that would ever so slowly travel through the air, infecting everyone and everything that breathed it in. He would not be a part of this sort of mass murder and destruction, he would never be a participant of any sort of mass murder. He didn't even want to be involved in the simulations in the first damn place.

"Dr Mercy, I can't do this… this…" Jarod shook his head in disgust, horrified at the mere thought of the simulation, let alone doing it, "I will not be involved with this, not now, not ever. I… I can't engineer a deadly pathogen. There would be no way to stop it, not an air borne one. I _refuse _to do this." Jarod stumbled a little, shocked that they even dared to give him this SIM, that they had the audacity to ask him to perform it. Jarod shouldn't have been shocked though, he should have realised by now that nothing was beneath them.

Mercy looked up at him from where she was sitting with her own work. "Excuse me?" She asked, surprised he was refusing her. After all the work she had put into him, after all the long hours of training him, he was still refusing her. "You will do the work given to you Jarod, no if's, no but's."

Ever so carefully, Jarod put the folders down and folded his arms across his chest, showing the 'Dr' he was adamant about this, he would not give in. "No." He said simply. He would not do this for them, not even after ten years of torture and torment. Jarod would still refuse to do this simulation and any others like it. Even before he fully understood what they were doing with his work, Jarod still had refused to do the Ebola virus simulations, fearful that it could be manipulated so easily to do harm, since he was handing all the answers over on a silver platter to the client. Even back then he knew the risks, knew how his work could be dangerously manipulated, how many people could die. Now with him knowing EXCATLY what The Centre did with his work, it gave him even more reason to refuse them. Jarod would rather sacrifice his own life than harm innocents so carelessly with his work.

Standing up, looking at Jarod in disbelief, with raised eyebrows, Mercy gaped at him for a stunned moment. "For your sake boy, I seriously hope you did not just tell me no." She whispered dangerously, her soft, warm persona disappearing to be replaced by the very dangerous one.

Jarod swallowed a little, knowing what she was capable of when she was pissed off, something he hadn't wanted to do. Jarod had learnt pretty early on he did not want to piss her off, because that is when she was the most dangerous. If she wasn't upset with him, she was almost pleasant. He stood his ground though, adamant he would never do this even if they almost killed him. "I said no. I am not and will never do a simulation of this nature. I do not care what you do to me, I will not do it."

Keeping her temper in check, she moved closer to him and ran her hand through his hair before grabbing a wad of hair at the base of his head, yanking it back. Mercy was rewarded with a grunt of pain from Jarod, as his hands came up to grab her wrist, but his training prevailed and his hands dropped submissively to his lap. "You will do this Jarod, one way or the other, you will complete this simulation." She whispered deathly quiet in his face, only inches from him.

"No," Jarod said stubbornly, wincing as she yanked his head back again. "I will not do it." On this he was resolute and nothing was going to change his mind.

Seething furiously at his open defiance and disrespect, Mercy pushed him away from her. "I guess if it's no, then it is really no." Mercy sighed in soft defeat.

Jarod sighed heavily as she let it go, thankful she wasn't going to try and force him into doing the simulations. "Thank you." Jarod whispered gratefully to her, relief flooding though him. He was so relived that she wasn't going to push, Jarod ignored the little voice in his head telling him she had given in far too easily.

"You are quite welcome Jarod. But I am afraid since you are not working now, it is training time. Get to your feet." Mercy ordered, clicking her fingers at the sweeper.

Jarod's eyes widened at that, shaking his head in protest and getting off the chair to back away from her. Every second or third day it was training for him, training like he was a disobedient little puppy that needed to learn the tricks his master wanted him to. Jarod hated his 'training' and feared it, he was always badly hurt and humiliated, always came away from it very reserved and withdrawn, not wanting to interact with anyone at all. It was soul destroying and killing him inch by inch, eating away at his ability to resist.

Grabbing the metal leash from the sweeper, Mercy advanced towards the pretender who was backing away from her like a tiger would on its prey. It was like a hellish dance performed by two masters at of the art. Once step forward, one step back, one step closer, one step further away.

Soon though, Jarod was backed into the wall and Mercy glared him down as she snapped the leash onto the D ring of his metal collar. Yanking on it harshly, forcing the helpless Jarod to stumble to his knees before she attached steel rod restraints between his ankles and his thighs so he could not stand up. The solid rods had leather straps attached to the end, that would lock around his ankle, then his thigh. Secured tightly, they made a right angle triangle with his bent legs, which prevented Jarod from being able to stand up at all. "I think it will be some very serious training for you today boy, I do not like you saying no to me." Mercy told him, barely able to contain her rage.

Jarod's heart sunk at those words, praying something or someone would stop her from her training. He hated it with a passion, never able to escape it, always forced into it. Jarod wanted to beg for her forgiveness, to explain why he wouldn't do it, do whatever he had to do to get out of training. However, he just kept his mouth closed, not having reached the begging stage yet, He still had too much pride, enough of a shadow of his former self to not allow himself to sink as low as to actually beg her. And this time the stakes were too high. He would have to resist, hold out and pay the price for it. He just could not do the simulation for them, not now, not ever.

Looking him up and down, Mercy dropped the leash and called Ryan and Shane over to her, "Undress him." She barked out angrily, snapping at Jarod to remain still when he tried to back away, tried to fight the hands advancing on him.

Jarod tried his best to struggle, but after a month of green slop and the liquid diet consisting of just soup, that he could never quite keep down, Jarod had lost a fair bit of his weight and muscle tone. He no longer had the strength to fight them like he used to. They didn't allow him to work out like he used to be able to do before he escaped, they didn't let him go jogging down the halls when he needed to get from his room to the SIM lab quickly, didn't let him even to do push ups in his cell. He had no way of keeping his strength after all this time with no real food and a lack of any physical exertion.

Eventually, Jarod was stripped completely naked, his knees to his chest trying to hide his vulnerability. Grabbing the leash, Mercy tugged on it. "Come along now Jarod. We need to get to the training room, there is a lot of work to be done with you today." Mercy told him, not paying him any more attention as she walked him out of the SIM Lab butt naked and on his knees, completely humiliated.

Parker had sent an order to Sydney to meet her at one of the bio-tracts outside the Centre. As her illness seemed to be worsening a little everyday, the stress of Mercy tormenting Jarod, Jarod not working when he deemed them SIM too dangerous, Sydney stressing, she hadn't been able to find the time to talk to Sydney about something she had found a while ago.

It had been on her mind lately and since Jarod wasn't destroyed yet, she was sure Mercy didn't know yet what she… well what Broots had found out.

Seeing Sydney walking towards her, Parker stoped her pacing and waited until he got to her. With out greeting him, Parker began to walk, looking around her. "How much do you know about Mercy?" Parker asked with out any preamble.

Sydney frowned slightly at that question, having hoped this talk would be a bit more personal; about what Miss Parker truly thought about Jarod's current imprisonment, and what had actually transpired between the two of them on that terrible drunken night.

"Not much I am afraid Miss Parker. Just that she was sent from Africa with the sole purpose of handling Jarod." He suspected though that she might know something now.

Parker nodded a little and handed the file over to him that contained all the information Broots had found on the brother of Dr Mercy. "There is something in those files that will condemn Franken-boy to death if she were to out."

Sydney frowned, wondering why she was concerned at all. It wasn't like Parker to care what happened to Jarod, and she hadn't really shown any interest in him since they brought him back to this hell-hole.

Looking around them as they walked, Parker continued in a soft voice. "Her younger brother was killed in a train crash when her daughter was 2 years old." Parker held her hand up to silence whatever it was Sydney was about to say.

"The train crash was a result of one of the simulations performed by Jarod under your guidance. It was sold to a terrorist group who used it to murder innocent people, for what purpose, who knows, but they did it. I don't think she knows Jarod is responsible for her brother's death."

Sydney looked at Parker sharply, flicking through the file until he had found the right place. Reading it over, he sighed inaudibly. "If she finds out Miss Parker that it was a simulation Jarod performed that ended her brother's life, I am fearful she will be pushed over the edge. She is not very stable as it is Miss Parker, very easily angered, very easily upset. I worry about Jarod's safety." He admitted in his softly accented voice.

Parker growled at him, "He is getting what he deserves after he did what he did to me." But the conviction her voice used to hold was no longer there.

"Talk to me Miss Parker, what is on your mind." Sydney pleaded gently with her. "You have been distracted even by your standards, you are not well, you are…"

"Weak?" Parker cut in sharply. "Pathetic because I'm letting my feelings for the rat get to me?" She snapped harshly at the shrink.

"Not weak Parker, never weak. Human." Sydney corrected her, touching her hand, hoping she wouldn't pull back.

Parker looked at his hand for a moment before sighing heavily. "I have been having dreams." She confessed to the worried man that had been more of a father to her at times than her own father had been.

"Dreams?" Sydney queried gently, "What were these dreams about Miss Parker?" His interest piqued now. Perhaps her subconscious was trying to tell her something her conscious mind didn't want to accept, something she could not accept.

Sitting down on a large rock nearby, she rubbed at her temples, trying to relieve the headache Parker felt coming on. "About the night that… we are leaving the pub, very drunk, laughing, singing, having a good time. Then these boys come, they try to pick me up, I wouldn't have such a thing. They got aggressive, started fighting, I fell over, hit my side hard then tried to join in on the fight. I got hit and kicked a few times."

Parker looked up at Sydney with worried eyes, "It would explain those bruises I had all over me Sydney, the bruises I thought Jarod gave to me. I remembered something else as well, why I was in the cuffs and telling him no. He was trying to use ice on me. I didn't want it. It was only playful." Parker shook her head, fighting the tears that were threatening, wondering why she was so upset anyway. "What if he really didn't rape me? What if we jumped to the wrong conclusion? I sent him to his death here and he might not have done what I thought he did." Parker admitted in a guilty whisper, frightened she had done some very, very terrible.

It felt good though to finally get that off of her chest. It had been playing through her mind constantly, as if taunting her, screaming at her, that these were the consequences of action before though, something Parker seemed to do often.

Sydney looked at her for a long time, not sure what to say or feel. She was obviously very torn and upset by this, as was Sydney himself. Parker had condemned Jarod to this hell out of her rage and hurt, though at the time he could not blame her. Now though, knowing what she had just told him, he couldn't help but to feel frustrated with her for acting without knowing the full situation.

Taking a deep breath, he put his own personal feelings aside and concentrated on the upset woman before him. "You couldn't have known Parker. At that point in time, you really believed he had violated you. Jarod believed he had. You acted out of hurt and fear, sending him somewhere you knew he would be afraid of and be hurt back. It was only a human reaction."

Parker sighed heavily. "I sent him here when I knew what would happen. I felt good doing it, I was happy I was hurting him back in that way."

"I can do a hypnotic-regression with you if you would like Miss Parker. Put any doubt over whether he did or did not to rest. Give you some peace of mind." Sydney offered her, hoping Parker would take it. He was beyond surprise though when she agreed not even ten seconds later.

The training had lasted all morning and had continued into the late evening, so late Jarod had missed dinner as well as his lunch. Though Jarod wasn't sure it wasn't such a bad thing after all. The slop they passed as food here left much to be desired.

He was put back into his space, Mercy letting him know the training was over and done with for the day. Jarod curled himself up on the small camping cot, hugging his knees to his chest, trying to protect himself. The Doctor hadn't given him his clothes back though, apparently forgetting that he needed them to stay warm in this chilly room.

Jarod always felt the most humiliated and defeated after one of her training sessions, never having felt less like a human being, less like a man as he did while being trained. Mercy knew all the right buttons to push on him, know how to get him reacting to certain things, knew how to hurt him, how to shame him, how to scare him. She did it so well too.

Jarod's back was red raw from the lashes he had received when he had done something she did not like. The sweeper never broke the skin though, Mercy making that very clear. They only broke skin and drew blood when it was a punishment, never in 'training'. Mercy had made it crystal clear to him a long time ago that there was a major difference between punishment and training. Training was to make him a 'good boy' and punishments happened when he was being a 'bad boy'. To him though, they were pretty much the same thing, and all designed to destroy his will to resist. Mercy and told him throughout his training, that this was his lesson in manners and respect, that after this training, if he ever dared to say no to her again, it would be instantaneous punishment for her bad little boy.

No matter how many times she trained him, Jarod always resisted, which only caused her to hurt him more. He wasn't a damn show dog, he didn't need to be trained. He needed to be left alone and free so he could live his own life.

It was the same thing over and over, it was always Mercy ordering him to sit and heel and beg, just to get him to do what she ordered him to. Then it would go onto more serious things like telling her information about past pretends, where safe-deposit boxes were with hidden treasures, secrets he knew about the Parker family and The Centre. When he wouldn't tell he would be hurt. Lashed, cut, hit, slapped. Always something that wouldn't cause much damage, yet still manage to hurt and degrade. Every single thing done to him, whatever it was 'training' or 'punishment' humiliated him, made him feel emasculated.

Sometimes, she would blindfold him and chain him up, playing on his fear of the hood, and force him to trail behind her. Jarod knew exactly what she was trying to do, knew she was trying to get him to bond and trust her, but Jarod was too smart to fall for these little games of hers. Sooner or later though, he was going to, he knew that deep down that he couldn't fight them forever. He knew that sooner or later, he would have to give in to her.

He was meant to get a visitor, something Jarod had been looking forward to, someone he would recognise as a familiar face. With any luck it would have been a friendly face as well as familiar. But Mercy had told him, because of his bad behaviour he wouldn't get that visitor today, he would have to wait for another day.

As the main lights turned off, the over head lights dimming so it wasn't as bright in his cell as before, Jarod sighed heavily. The lights never turned off, they were always on to some degree, never letting him get sleep in darkness like a normal person would. It was just another thing they were denying him. It also meant they could watch him too, every single moment of the day. As he had once told the psychiatrist; he was watched every minute, ever hour, every day of his life.

Closing his eyes, Jarod grabbed his old thin pillow and held it over his head to block the lights out to try and get some sort of sleep. He knew that chances were, he would wake up from night terrors, screaming out in fear as he did almost every other night.

Sydney had done as Parker had asked and taken her back to the night of the 'rape'. He had taken her step by step through the evening. From the time she went home to change, to getting to the bar and starting to drink. They relived every single thing, went through every tine detail so when she came back, Parker would know exactly what had transpired between the two adults that night.

As it turned out, the dreams Parker had been having were in fact memories from the night. What had happened in her dreams really had happened that night, it was really how she had gotten the bruises over her body.

As much as Sydney really didn't want to, he took her through minute by minute of the night at Jarod's lair. He really didn't want to invade either one's privacy, and he most certainly wished to remain oblivious to the details of their sexual relationship. He had found out though as he guided Parker through the night and she had revealed everything that had happened in quite graphic detail.

Once settling the very distraught and upset Parker down after he brought her back from the regression, Sydney handed her some scotch, even though he didn't like the thought of it mixing with her ulcer.

Sydney had calmly and patiently let her talk about whatever she wanted to, not interrupting her very often since she rarely opened up like she was now.

After she was settled and had gone home, Sydney had carefully gone through the files, finding out exactly what simulation had been used against Mercy's family.

Finding the corresponding DSA of the simulation that reportedly killed Mercy's brother, Sydney sat down and watched it, analysing it. He tried to predict how Jarod would react once he found out once again a SIM he had done had been used to kill people, especially given the repercussions were so close to home this time.


	20. Time up high

Disclaimer: Do not own them.

Authors note: As always with this sotry, sorry for the delay, the big delay. Thank you sooooo much to Jaccione, she is wonderful like always. A big thanks to Katie Q for helping to edit this, big hugs to both of you. I hope everyone enjoys this and it makes up for the wait.

Chapter twenty...

Parker had debated with herself long and hard as to whether she should talk to Jarod about this or not. Parker finally decided that she should. She suspected Jarod would be punishing himself quite severely with his guilt, so harshly that he might be close to a mental breakdown. She had already caused him so much grief that not telling him could only compound it even more. He was here because of her, everything he suffered was because of her.

Parker had spoken to her father, asking permission to take Jarod outside for ten minutes. She had to convince him, spinning her intentions so it ended up with having the Centre's best interests at heart. Mr Parker finally agreed, on the condition that Jarod was to be taken to the roof, so he could not escape even if he overpowered Parker. Not even the almighty pretender could escape from a roof top three stories above ground. Parker didn't doubt for a second her father didn't fully believe the reasoning she spun to get Jarod out of the Centre, but right now, it didn't matter to her.

Walking down to Jarod's room, she keyed her high security level code into his door before walking into the relatively small room.

Jarod startled as the door opened, much earlier than it usually did. As always, he only had gotten a couple of hours of sleep, from which he awoke in a cold sweat, shaking from a horrible nightmare. Jarod was always pretty jumpy in the morning, assuming that was what it was. There was no real way to tell down here, for all he knew they might all be on a night shift. More so today when the hiss of the door was followed by the unmistakable click, click, click of Miss Parker's heels.

Jarod stood up instantly, a habit that he had formed as a result of endless days of beatings from the sweepers when they decided he wasn't showing enough respect. Instantly Jarod regretted his movements, his foggy mind reminding him he was still stark naked.

Looking at Parker in horror, he shook his head, praying she didn't think he was thinking about to attack her again. Falling down on his cot quickly, he curled himself up to try and hide his nakedness, trying to protect himself, as well as Parker.

Parker had caught an eyeful of the completely naked pretender and wasn't sure if she liked what she saw or not. There was no doubt Jarod was well… gifted in that area, but he had lost so much weight that it scared her. It had been a bit of a reality check for her, seeing the abuse he suffered on his body.

Parker had been fully aware of the medicine Jarod had received when he first arrived, she had known that he had not been able to keep any food down. After that, he had received a few decent meals before he was put back on the optimised nutrition supplement. As great as the green slop was for its vitamins and minerals, it did nothing to help replenish the weight the pretender had already lost; never mind its less the desirable taste.

Stepping outside for a moment, she asked for some clothes to be brought down before going back in to face Jarod. "You look a bit worse for wear." Parker told him, a small amount of concern seeping into her voice, unable to help herself.

"I'm sorry Miss Parker." Jarod said in misery, his face crumpling in pain as he looked at her pale face. "I swear, I never wanted to hurt you." Jarod whispered before she could shoot him down.

Parker eyed Jarod off harshly, using it to hide the guilt she felt about sending him back here when he really hadn't done anything that wrong, knowing what he was talking about and knowing she had to tell him she didn't think it happened. Turning when the door opened again, Parker snatched the clothing from the sweeper before tossing them at Jarod. "Put them on boy wonder."

Jarod grabbed them and quickly slipped into the loose, baggy clothing. They had no personality and with his now crew cut hair, even Jarod himself had lost all his personal flair, his identity. He was just another lemming now.

Parker had to admit that Jarod looked horrible. He had bags under his eyes, lost all colour to his skin, his eyes themselves had lost that sparkle, that cheekiness that made Jarod who he was. Parker also hadn't failed to notice the numerous bruises on his body as the pretender had gotten dressed.

"Been antagonising the sweepers again have we lab rat?" Parker raised her eyebrows as she folded her arms. He just couldn't help himself.

Jarod hugged his body self-consciously as he sat on his little cot. "They were bored." He explained. Jarod didn't even need to say a word to them, didn't even need to look at them, to get hit. Seemed he was the local entertainment, and they liked it rough.

Parker huffed, it didn't surprise her at all. Moving over to him a little more, watching as Jarod flinched back, not at all sure that he was afraid of her or it was just a natural reaction now. Parker knew what the sweepers were like, more so towards a project that had embarrassed them, she pushed what they were doing to Jarod out of her mind, not even wanting to think about it.

"Get up wonder-boy. We are going for a little stroll." Parker ordered him, seeing him relax slightly at the soothing undertone in her voice.

"Yes Miss Parker," Jarod responded dutifully and slowly stood up from his cot, his head lowered a little.

As scared as Jarod was of her, of her still hating him, of her thinking he might attack her again, Jarod was beyond relieved just to be able to see a familiar face.

Rolling her eyes when Jarod didn't come near her, Parker barked at him to get a move on. Watching him scurry out the room, Parker followed closely behind him, seeing the two sweepers grab his arms roughly.

Heading off, watching the sweepers pulling Jarod along, although she was certain they didn't even need to touch him for Jarod to follow her. Taking him to the elevator, she saw Jarod's curious look. He must not get off this floor very often. Jabbing the button, Parker watched the doors closed and felt the jolt to tell her they were heading upwards.

"You have been granted ten minutes of outside time. You had better not make me regret getting it for you." Parker warned him dangerously.

Jarod looked at her with wide eyes, not believing she would go to the trouble to get him time outside. He couldn't even believe he had gotten time outside. Didn't they know he was Houdini in disguise? But then again, with the damn collar welded to his neck, he wasn't about to get far until he could work out how to disarm it. Parker could see it plainly, had never said a word about it and Jarod had to wonder if she was aware of the power it held over Jarod.

"You got me time outside?" Jarod whispered, tears in his eyes, desperate for fresh air and to feel the sun on his pale skin, even if it was for only ten minutes. The worse thing about his imprisonment was the simple act of being denied the fresh air and sun on his face.

Parker nodded slightly, ignoring him for the rest of the elevator trip. She had one thing to tell him and that was it. Parker didn't want to spend her precious time with idle chit chat with the lab experiment.

Jarod's eyes were glued to the numbers as they slowly went up one at a time. Each time a new number lit up, it was one floor closer to the surface, one floor closer to open space, fresh air, sunlight.

Striding out of the elevator as the door opened, Parker entered the stairwell, the sweepers dragging Jarod out behind her. Walking up the stairs, Parker was very much aware of how difficult it was for Jarod to climb the stairs with two sweepers gripping his biceps and hauling him up them after her.

Reaching the access door for the roof, Parker swiped her security card and pushed the doors opened. It was starting to cool down now, starting to head into winter, but it wasn't nearly cold enough for them to need coats.

"You can leave us." Parker ordered the sweepers, watching them as they shoved Jarod forward before heading back into the staircase.

Jarod, the second he was free of the sweepers, took a huge breath of real, fresh air. The air in the Centre was recycled, it had a slightly stale taste and had the smell of conditioned air. The air outside was fresh and clean, smelling of salt water from the nearby ocean.

Opening his eyes, Jarod looked over the building, disappointed to see they were facing away from the beach and he couldn't lay his eyes on it. However he was immensely grateful to be given this rare opportunity to go outside. The sun was a little weaker than it had been when he last was out, inferring they were starting to get into the colder months. Jarod had never once cared about what the weather was like, he loved all the season. Decades of isolation would do that to you. It had felt like an eternity since he was last outside and wished more than anything that he hadn't been here so long, that he could escape back out into the open world.

From the scorching heat on a hot summer's day, the sun bearing down on exposed skin, to the cool, soft days of autumn and spring. Jarod loved it all. He was particularly fond of winter however. The beauty of snow covering everything in sight, the soft crunching sound it made beneath your feet, snowflakes drifting down from the sky and landing like soft rose petals at your feet. He loved thunderstorms, the way that they lit up the skies with bolts of lightning, the loud thunder that would rattle of the windows of his, the heavy rain drops pelting on a tin rough echoing softly throughout the rooms. There was nothing on this earth, nothing at all, better than a good thunderstorm. What Jarod wouldn't give to sit outside right now with a good book while the heavens opened up. He just loved sitting on an outside porch with a good book in his hands, listening to the wind and heavy rain, the rolling thunder in the skies. There was nothing else like it in the world.

"We are not here for you to gaze lovingly at the green grass and the blue sky monkey boy. I brought you out here to talk. No cameras are out here, no one can hear what I say." Parker clicked her fingers to get his focus back on her. It was a bad move, Parker knew, since his eyes would always be out on the scenery and not listening to her. His attention span right now was less than that of a gold fish. "Pay attention or we are going back in." She snapped at him.

Jarod's head snapped around to look at her, though his eyes were wandering away from Parker on their own accord.

"That's it! Get your sorry arse back inside this instant." Parker growled, shoving him towards the door. She had gone to the trouble of getting him out here, granted for her to speak to him, the least he could do was pay attention to what she was saying, pretend to pay attention.

"No!" Jarod said quickly, shaking his head. "I'm sorry Miss Parker, but I haven't been out of the Centre for over a month now. I can't help to want to smell the air, feel the sun, see the open space and the colours of nature."

"Jarod, you are here for far more important things than looking at the fluffy white clouds. Pay attention." Parker ordered him sternly once again.

Jarod sighed heavily and forced his eyes on her. Even if he couldn't look around, he could still breathe the salty air in, feel the wind and the warmth of the sun. That was by far better than what he had waiting for him back down in the bowels of the Centre.

"You have my attention Miss Parker." He said obediently.

"Good. Now, what do you remember about the night that… the last night you were out?" Parker asked, wanting to see what he remembered first. Thanks to Sydney and his hypnotherapy, Parker could remember every single detail of their night together, remember that Jarod had done nothing wrong at all, that he had been innocent of the crimes Parker accused him of.

Jarod frowned at the question and shrunk back from her slightly, as if preparing to be hit. He thought about it for a long while, going over everything in his mind, desperately trying to conjure some memory up. He hated himself for what had happened, Dr Mercy constantly reminding him of how much of a low life piece of scum he was for how he had violated Miss Parker.

Looking at the striking brunette in misery, Jarod shook his head. "I am so sorry Miss Parker. I didn't mean it, I swear I didn't. I could never hurt you like…" Jarod trailed off with a heavy sigh. It never made a difference anyway. "I don't really remember anything besides ordering you to stay still." Jarod whispered in complete defeat, waiting for the screams and punches to erupt.

"I remember it all Jarod. Every little dirty and dark detail. Every single second of that night, from the minute I left home half drunk until we passed out." Parker informed him disinterestedly, waiting to see his reaction.

Jarod swallowed heavily and slowly moved away from her, backing up. "I'm sorry Miss Parker, please, you have to believe me." He whispered desperately.

"Relax would you genius. I'm trying to tell you something, but I cannot do it with you backing yourself over the edge of the building."

Jarod looked behind him and realised he was dangerously close to the edge of the roof. Looking over it, he wondered if it wasn't just easier to fall backwards and plummet to his death. There wouldn't be the constant pain and humiliation, he wouldn't have to live knowing he had assaulted his childhood friend. Maybe that was the reason why Miss Parker brought him up here in the first place, to push him to his death, get her revenge against him.

"Get away from the edge this minute Jarod. I am not going to warn you again." Parker ordered. She could just imagine going to her father and telling him Jarod accidentally threw himself to his death while in her care. That would go down _real_ well.

Jarod moved slowly away from the edge and over to the middle of the small roof top. "I am not going to do anything stupid Miss Parker." He whispered quietly, Dr Mercy's training from yesterday still fresh in his mind still.

Parker was trying to think of the best way to tell him what she knew, the easiest way to break it to him without Jarod going psycho on her arse. Finally she just blurted it out.

"You didn't rape me Jarod."

Jarod's mouth fell open like one would expect of a cartoon character. His eyes were wide with disbelief, not sure what the hell was going on now. "What?" He whispered, shaking his head.

"I remember you being cuffed, you were begging now. I was telling you to stay still and you won't be hurt." Jarod said distractedly. He didn't know what he wanted to believe. That he didn't rape her and Parker was still cruel enough to drag him back here. Or that he did and she was fully justified in being him back and he was here as punishment.

"Ice." Parker said simply. As soon as the full memory resurfaced, Parker understood her snippets instantly. He had wanted to tease her naked body with ice, he had wanted to get a little kinky.

"I-I didn't hurt you?" Jarod whispered, weakly.

Shaking her head, Parker looked at him in guilt. If she had trusted her gut, she would never have accused Jarod and dragged him back to this hell hole. Parker knew deep down Jarod simply did not have it in him to hurt another person in that way.

"Ice?" Jarod repeated, trying to wrap his mind around it. "I didn't rape you?" He whispered, tears filling his eyes before falling down his pale cheeks. Relief flooded him, his whole heart felt lighter instantly. Dropping to the ground, Jarod began to cry, the whole experience getting far too much for him. He was here to pay for his sins, to pay for raping her, he was here because he had to suffer the repercussions of his actions. Now he knew he hadn't, it was just too much for Jarod to cope with any longer. The abuse he thought he deserved under Mercy's cruel hand, was all for nothing.

Parker groaned softly, what the hell was she meant to do with a weeping pretender?

Running her hand through her perfectly groomed hair, Parker grabbed her phone out, dialling Sydney. He would know what to do with him.

"This is Sydney." The psychiatrist answered the phone distractedly.

Between Miss Parker, the extra work load they gave him to keep his mind off of Jarod, and the stress of not seeing Jarod was wearing him down. He wasn't sleeping as well, every spare minute of the day, his thoughts were taken up with Miss Parker and Jarod.

"Freud, get yourself to the roof. Take the stairwell off of hall 5 in wing B on the ground floor. It will bring you up to where I am." Parker ordered. "And don't take your sweet time about it. This is as close to an emergency as you will get."

Ok, so it wasn't an emergency, but Parker felt extremely uncomfortable with Jarod sobbing his heart out at her feet. Did the world expect her to go hug him in comfort, whisper nonsense words of comfort into his ear? Was she meant to snap at him, insult him, tell him this is not how a real man acted?

So instead, Parker walked to the edge of the roof, ignoring the sobbing pretender on the ground, and looked over at the scenery. She could hear the soft sounds of the waves crashing on the shore behind her, the warm sun on her face as Parker looked at the greenery in front of her. It really was quite a beautiful day out.

Five or so minutes later, the door burst open with Sydney shrugging of the sweepers, Jarod still sobbing his poor little heart out. Parker turned around to face the men as Sydney's eyes fell instantly onto the pretender.

"My God Jarod," He whispered, moving over to him without hesitation. "Parker, what did you do to him?" He asked with worry, trying not to accuse her of anything. It was hard though when he had received a phone call from her, then got here only find Jarod on the ground in tears.

"Nothing," Parker snapped incredulously. "I didn't even need to call you up here Freud, so watch it." She growled. How dare he? Parker had called him to help his little baby, only for him to accuse her of hurting him. She could have ordered the sweepers to drag his sorry arse back to his cell.

Sydney bit his tongue, not willing to risk this opportunity with Jarod. Crouching down beside the man, knowing this would be hell on his old joints, he touched his shoulder gently. "Jarod?" Sydney had been desperately worried for his old charge, knowing the toll his imprisonment would do to the pretender. Seeing the state of him now, it only confirmed all of his worries.

Jarod flinched back from the touch, still very sore from his training that had left almost all of his body red with welts and black with bruises.

Looking up slightly, tears still falling, though now silently. "Sydney?" He whispered, the sobs starting once more. He had prayed to see Sydney while he was in Mercy's care. Even just a glimpse of his mentor's warm eyes, an echo of his softly accented voice. Jarod just needed something familiar, something comforting, something safe.

Sydney didn't fail to notice how he flinched. "Are you hurt Jarod?" Sydney asked him in a soft voice, trying to find any marks under the Centre uniform.

Jarod shook his head quickly, the last thing he needed was Sydney going to scold Mercy and Mercy turning around and scolding him with a few lashes. "I didn't do it Sydney. I swear I didn't. Miss Parker even said I didn't." Jarod whispered desperately, needing the older man to know that he had not violated his childhood friend. It would have killed him to see the look in Sydney's eyes, judging him for what he had believed he had done.

"I understand Jarod. Miss Parker has informed me of what happened, once she remembered it all." Sydney didn't want to tell him they had fished the memories out of her sub conscious, not wanting him to know he had invaded their privacy like that.

Jarod looked at Sydney with wide, wet, deep brown eyes, begging for forgiveness. "I knew I couldn't have hurt her Sydney, I knew it… I couldn't remember though. I didn't hurt her Sydney, I didn't hurt her at all. Miss Parker told me I didn't." Jarod rambled, almost incoherently. He was still trying to understand exactly what had just transpired. For the last month or so, he had believed he had hurt her so deeply in the most awful of ways and now, now he had been told he hadn't. It was hard to come to terms with.

Standing up, Sydney offered Jarod his hand. "Come now Jarod, off the cold ground and wipe those tears away." He ordered in a paternal voice.

Taking the hand, Jarod stood up slowly and brushed himself down. Doing as instructed, he wiped the tears from his face. "I can't do her simulations Sydney, I simply cannot. It will murder thousands of people, I can't do it." Jarod whispered miserably, wishing Sydney could be there to help him.

"I will speak to Dr Mercy Jarod, see what I can do." Sydney promised the younger man, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze, closing his eyes as Jarod flinched again.

"You are hurt Jarod." Sydney stated, knowing he had to be to flinch from psychiatrist's touch.

Jarod didn't bother denying it this time and just hung his head. "I don't want to go back there Sydney, I can't take any more." It would be so much harder to bear now that he knew it wasn't punishment for his unspeakable crimes. "I just can't do it Sydney, I need refuge." Jarod whispered desperately.

Slowly, Mercy was chipping away his soul, piece by piece. Between his cold room that was never dark, to the 'training' and his inhumane treatment and terrible food, it was just getting too much for him to bear anymore.

"I will see what I can do Jarod. You need to hang in there, there are always windows." Sydney informed him, hoping Jarod understood he meant windows of opportunity for escape. He had come to realise a few years ago that Jarod did not belong at the Centre. Sydney was still forced to act like he wanted Jarod back, that this was his home, but he understood it wasn't. Sydney very much doubted that Jarod could handle being held captive for much longer. Dr. Mercy had added a much more dangerous element to the game, taken it up to a higher level that even Jarod was struggling with.

Seeing Jarod had finally stoped the damn water works, Parker moved over to the pair. "Time to get you back to the zoo keeper. You have a simulation to perform as I understand it, and some baby sitting duties. Couldn't she put the damn kid in childcare?" Parker asked in annoyance.

Jarod didn't want to go back and stepped away from her, shaking his head. He knew exactly what would happen if she took him back in. Mercy would ask him to do the simulation, Jarod would refuse and instead of training to teach him how not to say no to her, it would be a punishment. Not to mention, he did not want to see her child. It only made Jarod want to grab her, kill the sweepers and run, take her from the devil reincarnated mother of hers and give her to a family that was worthy of a child. It hurt Jarod more than he was willing to admit at how little Parker cared for him and his well being. Even with believing he had violated her in such an evil way, it had hurt and angered him at how easy it was for Parker to disregard him, to smile as he was punished by Mercy.

Not even bothering with arguing with the pretender, Parker went to the door and opened it. Ordering the two bulky sweepers who looked very bored, she stepped back as they came up onto the roof and advanced on Jarod.

Shaking his head furiously, he backed away from the sweepers, but soon found himself in the grips of the strong men. As one of them shoved him on his back to get him moving, Jarod cried out in pain as he stumbled forward in their grips.

Sydney frowned, "That is enough." He ordered the two men before going behind Jarod.

Lifting up his shirt slowly, Sydney closed his eyes against the sight. His whole back was covered in bright red welts. "Jarod, how did you get these marks?" Sydney asked gently as he lowered the pretender's shirt.

Cringing slightly as Sydney lifted his shirt up, he closed his eyes and lowered his head knowing the old man would be worried about him all the time. "Training. They didn't break the skin." Jarod explained in a dull voice.

Nodding to the two sweepers. "Take him back to his room, carefully." Sydney ordered, watching them dragging Jarod off. Turning back to Parker with anger in his eyes, "Those marks were made with a cane!" He couldn't believe how badly he had been hurt, and how Jarod seemed to have just accepted it.

"Don't talk to me about it. He belongs to Mercy now. You have a problem Freud, take it up with her." Parker had enough problems of her own with out adding the genius to her list.

Sydney watched her go, trying to reign in his fury over such blatant misuse of Jarod, mistreatment of him. Sydney had to try very hard not to show his anger at Miss Parker over her attitude towards the whole thing, how she so easily dismissed her childhood friend. Deciding to do just that, Sydney straightened his shoulders and walked back into the stairwell, all intentions of going to have a serious word with 'Dr' Mercy.


End file.
